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The Job, The Man, 
The Boss 




Books hy the Same Author 



THE EMPLOYERS MANUAL 

THE SCIENCE OF CHARACTER 

ANALYSIS BY THE 

OBSERVATIONAL METHOD 



THE JOB, THE MAN, 
THE BOSS 



BY 
KATHERINE M. H. BLACKFORD, M. D. 

AND 

ARTHUR NEWCOMB 




ILLUSTRATED FROM PHOTOGRAPHS 



GARDEN CITT NEW YORK 

DOUBLED AY, PAGE & COMPANY 
1914 



T59 



Copyright, 1914^, by 

KA.THERINE M. H. BlACKFORD, M. D. 

All rights reserved, including that of 

translation into foreign languages, 

including the Scandinavian 



MAY 12 1914 



^CI,A37404 



ZUSAMMEN 



PREFACE 

The plan of employment set forth in this book is 
the outgrowth of fifteen years' experience in the 
practical work of advising men in regard to their 
vocations, counseling employers in the selection 
and assignment of employees, investigating indus- 
trial and commercial institutions for the purpose 
of professional advice upon efficiency in general, 
and increasing the efficiency of employees in par- 
ticular, and in the installation, operation, and su- 
pervision of employment departments under the 
Blackford Employment Plan. 

Our purposes in presenting the book are: first, 
to set forth the advantages of a definite plan and 
orderly methods of employment; second, to in- 
spire all who work to study themselves with refer- 
ence to their vocational fitness; third, to add our 
voices to those of many others in calling for more 
scientific vocational guidance of the young; fourth, 
to arouse interest among all thoughtful people, and 
especially among parents, employers, teachers, and 
workers, in the possibilities of character analysis 
by the observational method. 

The Authors. 

Hastings-on-Hudson, N. Y. 
February 22, 1914. 



CONTENTS 

Introduction xiii 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I. Mind or Muscle — Which? . . . 3 

II. The Ideal in Employment ... 10 

III. A Scientific Plan of Employment . 28 

IV. Discipline 40 

V. The Job 62 

VI. Securing and Handling Applicants 76 

VII. Analyzing the Man — Heredity 

and Environment 104 

VIII. Analyzing the Man — Nine Funda- 
mental Physical Variables . . 115 

IX. Analyzing the Man — Practical 

Apphcation . 181 

X. The Boss 200 

XI. The Employment Supervisor and 

His Staff 214 

XII. Some Functions of an Employment 

Department 225 

XIII. The Art of Handling Men ... 240 

XIV. Educating Employees .... 249 
XV. Vocational Guidance .... 258 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

Applicants at the door of an Employment Department 

Frontispiece V--'' 

FACING PAGE 

Fig. 1. American Indian. Observe high nose and 

strong chin 136 ^ 

Fig. 2. A Turkish Parade. Turks, evolved in cold, , 

light northern Asia, are brunettes with convex noses 138 \/^ 

Fig. 3. A Group of Negro Boys. Note primitive 

forehead of boy in middle of rear line. Also flat noses / 

and convex mouths and chins 140 ^ 

Fig. 4. Filipino Girls. They have the characteristic 
concave foreheads and noses and convex mouths and 
chins of brunette races 142 

Fig. 5. Chinese on Man of War. Note predomi- 
nance of concave foreheads and noses, convex mouths . 
and chins 144 y 

Fig. 6. A splendid example of convex upper, concave 
lower, profile 146 

Fig. 7. Savonarola. Extreme convex form of profile. / 

Note especially convex mouth 148 ^ 

Fig. 8. Kaiser Wilhelm II. Good example of pure 
convex form of profile. Note great energy indicated 
by nose 150 

Fig. 9. An American Engineer. Pure convex form of 
profile. Note especially prominent brows . . . 152 
xi 



xii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING PAGE 

Fig. 10. Dr. T. Alex. Cairns, lecturer. Pure concave 
form of profile. Well known for good nature and 
humour 154 

Fig. 11. Charles Dana Gibson. Pure plane form of 
profile 156 

Fig. 12. A Study in Profiles. Beginning at the upper 
left, which is pure convex, the faces grade into plane 
at the Tower left; then into pure concave at lower 
right . . , 158 

Fig. 13. Judge Ben B. Lindsey. A fine example of 
mental type. Observe triangular face .... 160 

Fig. 14. Hon. Wm. G. McAdoo. An example of the 
motive type 162 

Fig. 15. Ex-President William H. Taft. A splendid 
example of the vital type, with judicial aptitudes . 164 

Fig. 16. Henry Woodruff. An example of fine tex- 
ture. 166 

Fig. 17. Maxim Gorky. An example of coarse tex- 
ture 168 

Fig. 18. Theodore Roosevelt in early manhood . . 172 

Fig. 19. Theodore Roosevelt in middle life. Observe 
changes in expression 173 

Fig. 20. An example of fine texture. Concave mouth 
and chin 176 

Fig. 21. C. F. Rumely. The first employment super- 
visor appointed under the Blackford Employment 
Plan 218 

Fig. 22. Interviewing shop applicants at a big factory 80 

Fig. 23. Interviewing applicant for an office position 
in a large organization 84 



INTHODUCTION 

WHEN a foreman discharges the best worker 
in his gang because of his own jealousy or 
jljytempfir, or both, the loss to their com- 
mon employer may run into thousands of dollars. 
If in the man so discharged there is an embryo 
general manager or advertising manager with 
ideas, the loss may run into the millions. Even 
when the man thrown out is an ordinary workman 
the loss is considerable. Production suffers, and 
perhaps machines stand idle until a successor is 
found. Other workers in the same gang, observ- 
ing the injustice, decline in loyalty and efficiency. 
The best of them may leave. The foreman must 
spend some of his time securing a new man. It is 
an expense to substitute one man's name for an- 
other's on the pay-roll. In most cases there is a 
further loss of the foreman's time in training the 
new man for his work. Oftentimes the new man 
lacks experience or may be incompetent. There is 
a falling off in production, and work may be spoiled 
while he is learning. He may turn out to be utterly 
unfitted for the job, in which case he is discharged, 
and the whole vicious circle of loss begins over again. 



xiv INTRODUCTION 

Every employer who has considered this subject 
at all knows that he is paying out larger or smaller 
sums of money for which he receives no return be- 
cause of just such occurrences, and every business 
man of foresight and imagination sees wealth slip- 
ping away from him because of the lack of men he 
needs to take advantage of opportunities. 

Our aggregate economic loss from these and simi- 
lar causes cannot of course be calculated. Some 
little light is thrown upon it, however, when we 
find that in one institution manufacturing agricul- 
tural implements, and employing, on the average, 
2,400 men, 7,200 are employed every year. In a 
well-known steel mill 26,000 men pass annually 
through the institution in order to maintain an 
average working force of 8,000. The pay-rolls of 
a factory manufacturing electrical appliances show 
an average total of 20,000 employees, with ag- 
gregate changes in the personnel amounting to a 
complete turn-over every year. Perhaps one of 
the extremes is a foundry in the Middle West, with 
1,200 employees, and 14,400 changes in the person- 
nel every year. In other words, an employee's 
average length of service is only thirty days. 

CONSERVATION BECOMING OUR IDEAL 

This is one of the milder forms of waste in our 
industries. Strikes and lockouts, with their ac- 



INTRODUCTION xv 

companying disorder, destruction of life and prop- 
erty, and their paralyzing effect upon commerce 
and industry, have been, and are, a menacing drain 
upon our resources. The smouldering forms of 
antagonism and friction between employer and 
employee cost sums impossible even to estimate. 
Go where you will among employers of labour and 
you will hear a common complaint, a compl aint 
that employees are inefficient. How serious and 
how almost universal this inefficiency is may be 
suspected from the astonishing increase in produc- 
tion, and decrease in cost, effected by scientific 
management and efficiency engineering. 

The growth from a condition in which an em- 
ployer worked side by side with his men, when they 
perhaps lived in his house and ate at his table,'and 
he knew them and loved them almost as he did 
his own sons, to our present factory system, has 
been brought about by rapid strides after the com- 
paratively recent invention of the steam engine. 
We have been forced by the necessities of the 
situation to devote our time, our energy, and our 
best and highest thought to developing machinery, 
equipment, and methods for the utiHzation of the 
vast resources placed in our hands by the invention 
of the steam engine, electric generators and motors, 
internal combustion engines, the turbine water- 
wheelj and by the results of exploration and dis- 



xvi INTRODUCTION 

covery. It is only natural, under such conditions, 
that our attention should have been devoted to 
exploitation rather than conservation, and to -the 
development of material forces and products rather 
than to the more subtle and more difficult tasks 
of conserving and developing our mental and psy- 
chical resources. 

But the time has come when there must be a 
change. Conservation has become the industrial 
and commercial ideal. Instead of skimming the 
easily gathered wealth from the surface of our 
resources, and passing on to new fields, we are be- 
ginning to study scientifically how to develop our 
farms, our mines, our oil and gas wells, our or- 
chards, our forests, and our fisheries, so as to make 
them permanent and increasing sources of wealth. 
Instead of wringing the last vestige of strength 
from our gasping men and women, and throwing 
them aside, we are beginning to ask how their 
mental and psychical forces, as well as their mus- 
cular strength and manual skill, may be developed 
and increased. 

A PLAN FOR CONSERVING HUMAN VALUES 

Evidences of the interest taken in this problem 
of human conservation are to be found in the 
formation of labour unions and employers' asso- 
ciations, in the rise of socialism, syndicalism, and 



INTRODUCTION xvii 

other attempts to better conditions by moral or 
physical force, employers and employees working 
in opposition. A newer manifestation of interest 
is to be found in the vocational movement, in the 
efforts of our schools to change their methods so 
as to train boys and girls for the work in which they 
will be most successful, in the establishment of 
employment departments by many manufacturers, 
merchants, and others, in what is called welfare or 
social betterment work for employees, in corpora- 
tion and industrial schools, and in many other 
ways. 

Up to the present moment, agitation upon this 
subject has taken the form of destructive criticism 
of old methods. This was, of course, necessary. 
But perhaps we have reached the point where de- 
structive criticism is no longer so much needed as 
the setting forth of a definite and practicable plan 
of employment to take the place of old methods. 

It is because we believe that this time has come, 
and because of the insistent demand from many 
quarters for it, that we present in this book a plan 
of employment based upon scientific principles, a 
plan which is, and has been for some time, in suc- 
cessful operation. 



The Job, The Man, 
The Boss 



THE JOB, THE MAN, 
THE BOSS 

CHAPTER I 

MIND OR MUSCLE — WHICH? 

ONE of the most common sights from our 
steamer as we ascended the Nile was the 
shadoof men. Hour after hour, day after 
day, under the burning Nubian sun, they dipped 
water from the Nile and poured it out upon the 
sands of the desert for irrigation. When the banks 
were high, one naked man stood in water up to his 
waist; a second was stationed halfway up the bank, 
and a third at the top. Thus, in perfect rhythm, 
chanting weird songs, they passed the life-giving, 
brown water from hand to hand. 

In India we saw porters plodding along, mile 
after mile, with heavy burdens on their shoulders. 
On the Canton River in China we saw coolies on 
their treadmills, toiling day after day to furnish 
motive power for their clumsy boats. In the city 
of Canton we saw fiour ground by great millstones 

3 



4 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

turned by men who ran upon treadmills until 
they almost dropped with exhaustion. 

And the wages paid to all of these men, some of 
them furnishing human muscle power in quantities 
of which we in America can scarcely conceive, aver- 
age between 10 and 15 cents a day. 

Cheap labour? Yes, perhaps it is cheap labour. 
But it is not cheap power. It is the most expen- 
sive and most wasteful form of motive power 
known. Even at 10 cents a day, and working at 
their highest possible muscular efficiency, men can 
not furnish motive power for less than about $3 per 
horsepower per day. A large steam or gasoline 
engine will furnish horsepower at the rate of from 
6f cents to 66 cents a day. To purchase human 
muscle power is, therefore, not the purpose of em- 
ployment. 

The wise employer seeks to develop and secure 
for his business the highest and best physical and 
psychical forces of the men and women he employs. 
It is only within the last few years that we have 
begun to understand the purely psychological na- 
ture of business. Even yet we only dimly under- 
stand the great truth that materials, equipment, 
methods, money, and all the other tangible fac- 
tors in our commerce and industry are but the 
visible counters in a game played solely by the 
invisible forces of mind and soul. 



MIND OR MUSCLE — WHICH ? 5 

CONSTRUCTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE MENTAL 
STATES 

Walter Dill Scott says: "Success or failure in 
business is caused more by the mental attitude 
even than by mental capacities."* Dr. Wm. S. 
Sadler, Post-Graduate Medical School of Chicago, 
relates in his exhaustive work, "The Physiology 
of Faith and Fear," a multitude of incidents from 
his own practice, all demonstrating the destructive 
effects upon the human body of such emotions as 
^ear, worry , anger, hate, grief, uncertainty, and 
discburagemeiits He shows that almost every 
known form of disease, in some cases at least, has 
been the result of destructive mental attitude. He 
also cites a large number of cases in which speedy 
and perfect restoration to health and vigour has 
followed the recovery of mental peace, courage, or 
happiness. Thus, mental attitudes in the human 
body may be either destructive or constructive. 
Either they tear down or build up the physical and 
mental powers. In a similar way, destructive and 
constructive mental forces either tear down or 
build up business institutions. 

It is no secret to any careful observer that every 
place of business or manufacture has its own par- 
ticular mental atmosphere or spirit. One does 
not need to be a psychic to sense the spirit of har- 

*" Increasing Human Efficiency in Business," page 134, 



6 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

mony, teamwork, enthusiasm, and happiness in 
any successful business. Nor is it difficult to feel 
the atmosphere of gloom, suspicion, irritation, petty 
jealousy, discord, or careless indifference in one 
which is on the road to failure. 

We have studied many business concerns. In 
every one of them we have found the mental and 
moral character of the man or men who dominated 
it reflected and exaggerated in the rank and file. 
In one organization a man high in authority was 
an inveterate meddler and gossip. Not even the 
lowliest worker in the organization was safe from 
his curious, prying eyes and his inquisitive nose, 
and no one, either in the institution or outside, 
could escape the sting and defilement of his slander- 
ous tongue. It was inevitable that this destructive 
spirit should permeate the entire organization, until 
almost every one in it was both backbiting and 
backbitten. No one could come into contact with 
this spirit without feeling demoralized, less self- 
respecting, less efficient, and less happy. 

By a curious coincidence, at the same time we 
were studying this institution, we also made an 
investigation of the most successful corporation in 
its line of business in the United States. Here 
we found the vice-president, who was also its chief 
executive, and the twelve department heads as- 
sociated with him, happy and harmonious. Every 



MIND OR MUSCLE — WHICH ? 7 

man enthusiastically told us that he belonged to 
the finest and best organization on earth, and was 
eager to praise the character and ability of every 
one of his associates. Not once in our interviews 
with any of them did we hear the time-worn and 
all-too-universal stab-in-the-back, "Yes, he's a 
mighty good fellow, but — — " All through the 
offices and works, and in our contact with employees 
of all grades, we found the same happy, harmonious 
spirit of teamwork. We were quite prepared for 
the information that this spirit, this constructive 
mental atmosphere, extended to the patrons of 
the institution and the public generally, and that, 
as a result, its profits and dividends were higher 
than those of any other corporation of its size in 
the country. 

HAPPINESS AND LABOUR COST 

William C. Redfield, in his book, "The New In- 
dustrial Day," pp. 120-1-2, says: "Given the 
scientific spirit in management, constant and care- 
ful study of operations and details of cost, modern 
buildings and equipment, proper arrangement of 
plant, and proper material, ample power, space, 
and light, a high wage rate means inevitably a 
low labour cost per unit of product and the mini- 
mum of labour cost. ... A steadily decreas- 
ing labour cost per unit of product is not incon- 



8 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

sistent with, but on the contrary is normal to, a 
coincident advance in the rate of pay for the work 
when accompanied by careful study of methods 
and equipment, as previously suggested. Con- 
versely, low-priced labour nearly always is costly 
per unit produced, and usually is inconsistent with 
good tools, equipment, and large and fine product, 
else such labour would not be low-priced." 

In a large factory manufacturing a food product 
of international reputation, $25,000 a year was 
added to the wages paid employees, and $17,000 a 
year additional was expended in betterments of 
their conditions, such as lunch-rooms, gymnasiums, 
night schools, and sanitation. This addition of 
$42,000 a year to the expenses of the company re- 
sulted, not in a decreased dividend, but in an in- 
creased dividend. As a further confirmation of 
this principle we have but to call attention of the 
reader to his own experiences, to the fact that he 
does more work and better work when happy and 
contented, when interested and enthusiastic, than 
when he is unhappy or indifferent. 

"We might multiply examples of the effect of de- 
structive and constructive attitudes in executives 
and employees, but the truth is so well known that 
we should merely be demonstrating the obvious. 

Since it is mental and psychical forces rather 
than muscle power that we are purchasing when 



MIND OR MUSCLE — WHICH ? 9 

we employ men and women, we should therefore 
seek mental and psychical power that is construc- 
tive and not destructive. Expressing the idea con- 
cretely, we want men and women who love their 
work, who find joy in doing it, and who, because of 
their happiness and psychical inspiration, give us 
the very finest products of their heads and hearts, 
and, therefore, of their hands. 

The plan which we are to present in this book is 
designed to obtain and to conserve for the em- 
ployer, the employee, and humanity in general 
the highest and best constructive thoughts and 
feelings of those employed according to its prin- 
ciples. 



CHAPTER II 

THE IDEAL IN EMPLOYMENT 

WHEN Thomas A. Edison is bent on realiz- 
ing one of his ideas, his absorption in 
his work exempHfies Emerson's dictum: 
''Nothing great was ever accomphshed without 
enthusiasm. The way of hfe is wonderful — it is 
by abandonment." He shuts himself away from 
all interruption in his laboratory. He works for 
hours, oblivious of everything but his idea. Even 
the demands of his body for food and sleep do not 
rise above the threshold of consciousness. 

Edison himself says that great achievement is a 
result, not of a great genius, but of just this kind of 
concentration in work. And, until the mediocre 
man has worked as has Edison, he cannot prove 
the contrary. Mr. Edison has results to prove 
the value of his way of working. Even our most 
expert statistician and mathematician would find it 
difficult to calculate the amount of material wealth 
this one worker has added to humanity's store. 
Of the unseen but higher values in culture, in 
knowledge, in the spreading of civilization, and 

10 



THE IDEAL IN EMPLOYMENT 11 

in greater joy of living for millions of people, there 
are even greater results. Other men of the past 
and present, in every phase of activity, have dem- 
onstrated that Edison's utter abandonment to his 
task is the keynote of efficiency and achievement. 

And right here, too, is the ideal in employment: 
To secure, cultivate, and maintain this spirit of 
absorption in the work of every man in the organi- 
zation — and thus to develop, conserve, and utilize 
the mental and psychical forces of our latent and 
potential Edisons. 

Each employee, even the lowliest and least 
skilled, can be as efficient and as happy in his task 
as is Edison in his, but only under similar condi- 
tions. Mr. Edison is doing work for which he is 
preeminently fitted. He shows his fitness by doing 
it supremely well. He has created an environment 
under which he works at his best. He sees the 
results of his efforts. He receives rewards com- 
mensurate with his efficiency. 

THE employer's IDEAL 

These, then, are the ideal conditions of employ- 
ment: 

That each worker should do work for which he 
is preeminently fitted; 

That each should work in an environment in 
which he can do his best; 



12 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

That each should be able to see and enjoy the 
results of his work; 

That each worker should receive a reward com- 
mensurate with his efficiency. "^ 

Industry, like health, is normal. All healthy 
children, and even men, are active. Activity 
means growth and development. Inactivity means 
decay and death. The man who has no useful 
work to do will sometimes express himself in wrong- 
doing and crime, for he must do something indus- 
triously to live. Even our so-called idle rich and 
leisure classes are strenuously active in their at- 
tempts to amuse themselves. 

When, therefore, a man hates his work, when he 
is dissatisfied and discontented in it, when his 
work arouses in him destructive thoughts and 
feelings rather than constructive, there is some- 
thing wrong, something abnormal. He is trying 
to do work for which he is not fitted, or he is in the 
wrong environment, or under wrong management, 
or he is physically or mentally ill. 

The remedy for all of this, as we have seen, is 
to give the man something to do which he can do 
well, and to fit his environment to his needs. In 
practice, of course, this means the selection for each 
job in our organization of the one man out of all 
others who, by natural aptitudes, training, and ex- 
perience, is best fitted to fill all the requirements 



THE IDEAL IN EMPLOYMENT 13 

of that job, and suited to its environment and con- 
ditions. 

In fitting a man to his environment perhaps the 
personal element in that environment is the most 
important. One of the first things we all want to 
know about any human relationship, whether it 
finds its expression in work, play, society, or poli- 
tics, is the human atoms with whom we are to be 
commingled and compounded in that relationship. 
We may readily admit the universal brotherhood 
of man, but we also have to admit that there 
are some of our brothers and sisters with whom 
we do not make a very pleasant chemical combi- 
nation. 

Hydrogen and oxygen by themselves form water, 
one of the most beneficial and useful of all fluids, 
but combine sulphur with hydrogen and oxygen, 
in certain atomic proportions, and you have highly 
destructive sulphuric acid. In a similar way, we 
are happy and efficient when associated with some 
people, but unhappy and positively destructive 
when compelled to associate with others. 

In the ideal organization all the human chemical 
combinations are made by the wise master chemist 
in such a way that every employee is associated 
with immediate and more remote superiors, who 
inspire him to give only constructive thoughts and 
feelings, and each executive supervises and directs 



14 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

the work of the kind of men and women from whom 
he can secure the best results. 

We have spoken about selecting for every posi- 
tion the man who is best fitted for it, not only for 
the duties of that position, but for the environment 
and conditions attached to it. A most important 
corollary of this proposition is naturally this: In 
the ideal organization the environment and condi- 
tions attached to every position should be such 
that the man who will fit them is the best possible 
man for that work. 

RATE OF PAY AND EFFICIENCY 

For example, if it is desirable that a man should 
express in his work neatness, order, accuracy, clean- 
liness, and beauty, then a workshop or office which 
is neat, clean, orderly, and beautiful will suit the 
man best fitted for that work. The blacksmith 
shops of the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railway are 
called "white blacksmith shops." They are well 
lighted, well arranged, and constantly kept clean. 
Even the walls and ceilings are whitewashed and 
never allowed to become smoke-stained and soot- 
smeared. As a result there have been gathered in 
these shops men who take pride in their surround- 
ings, and who are glad to do their best to keep them 
neat and clean. It follows, of course, that these men 
take pride in their work and do their best with it. 



THE IDEAL IN EMPLOYMENT 15 

It is an old saying that the workman is known by 
his tools. Frank A. Gilbreth, in his excellent book, 
"Motion Study," page 59, says: "The influence 
of the tools used upon the output is large. No 
workman can possibly comply with standard mo- 
tions unless he has the standard tools." In the 
ideal organization all tools and equipment are most 
carefully selected and kept in condition to fit the 
needs and requirements of the most desirable 
workers. 

There is no factor in the conditions of employ- 
ment more important than that of the rate of pay, 
and there is none over which there has been more 
controversy. The time is already here, however, 
when the enlightened employer no longer quarrels 
with his workmen about their rate of pay. In 
conference with one of the most successful manu- 
facturers in the city of Philadelphia we learned 
that, as the result of his scientific study of costs and 
their causes, he had increased the pay of his men 
from $2.50 and $3.50 a day to $6 a day and upward, 
the pay of some of the men reaching as high as 
$18 a day. These men perform the same opera- 
tions on their new wages that they performed on 
their old, and yet this employer told us that his 
costs per unit of production had been greatly re- 
duced since he began to pay his men better wages. 

"As manufacturing establishments are improved 



16 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

and humanized," says James H. Collins in the 
Saturday Evening Post, "it is becoming clearer and 
clearer that in buying labour quality counts first, 
just as it does in materials, and that price is really 
secondary. While governments collect statistics 
showing wages paid in different countries, and that 
the cheapest product is usually found where the 
most skilful employees earn the highest wages, the 
American manufacturer is arriving at the same 
truth through his own experience in the manage- 
ment of works and through his export connec- 
tions. . . . The vital point about an employee 
is not how much he gets a day, nor how many hours 
he works, but how much he can do with a given 
machine. . . . Each improvement in the qual- 
ity of the output cuts labour costs. . . . The 
actual money saving on the cost-sheets is only a 
part of the benefit ; for a high-grade workman on a 
high-grade job facilitates deliveries, helps sales, 
and forwards the whole organization. A few dol- 
lars additional in his pay envelope may count so 
little that it would be worth the money to be certain 
he will turn up beside his machine every morning 
when the whistle blows." 

The ideal, so far as wages and salaries are con- 
cerned, is not to fix a rate of pay for any particular 
job and then to find some man or woman (efficiency 
not specified) willing to accept that rate of pay. 



THE IDEAL IN EMPLOYMENT 17 

but rather to fix upon the standard requirements 
in aptitudes, training, experience, and consequent 
efficiency for that job, find some one who meets the 
requirements, and then pay him enough to secure 
his very best constructive thought. 

HOURS OF LABOUR — PERIODS OF REST 

Next to rate of pay probably the most difficult 
point of adjustment between employers and em- 
ployees is that of hours of labour. It has been only 
natural, in the absence of exact knowledge on the 
subject, that the employer should conclude that 
the more hours his employees worked the more 
they would accomplish. It is also perfectly natural 
that the employees should respond to this attitude 
on the part of the employer by feeling that the 
fewer hours they worked for the same rate of pay 
the better off they were. 

Little by little, hours of labour have been re- 
duced from fourteen to twelve, from twelve to ten, 
and from ten to nine and eight. The results have 
been nothing short of astonishing to both parties 
in the controversy. Who could have predicted 
that a man would do more and better work in eight 
hours than he had done in fourteen.^ And yet that 
is exactly what has happened in hundreds of differ- 
ent industries and different factories on both sides 
of the Atlantic. 



18 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

Will hours of labour be still further reduced? 
The question can be answered correctly only by 
the application of the new scientific spirit, the 
spirit which does not assume, as we formerly did, 
that a reduction in hours of labour means a reduc- 
tion in output, but by careful experiment and the 
use of accurate records, carefully analyzed, ascer- 
tains the truth. The ideal in employment will be 
attained when every man works just that number 
of hours each day that will enable him to accomplish 
the maximum amount of the highest quality of 
work. 

Scientific investigation has clearly shown that 
men and women do more and better work if given 
carefully ascertained periods of rest and relaxation 
during working hours. When a man works either 
his muscles or his brain, fatigue poisons are pro- 
duced in his system more rapidly than they are 
eliminated. These fatigue poisons, as science has 
demonstrated, clog a man's mental and physical 
machinery, slowing up every process, dulling the 
senses, and robbing every effort of some of its 
reliability and accuracy. A certain period of ab- 
solute rest and relaxation relieves mental and phys- 
ical tension and permits the processes of elimination 
to catch up and overtake the production of fatigue 
poisons. In ordinary physical work, into which the 
mind scarcely enters, men have been known to ac- 



THE IDEAL IN EMPLOYMENT 19 

complish 400 per cent, more in a given number of 
hours with carefully worked-out intervals of rest 
and relaxation than when working continuously. 
In mental work the effect has often been found to 
be even greater. In the ideal organization, experts 
carefully standardize the proper intervals and 
periods of work and relaxation for every job, and 
the executives see that these intervals and periods 
are made effective. 

RELATIONS WITH SUPERIOR 

Some years ago we had occasion to study the 
efficiency of a number of accountants in a bank. 
Among them was a young man of twenty-two, 
well educated, with splendid natural talents as an 
accountant, intelligent, honest, industrious, am- 
bitious to succeed. There seemed to be every 
reason why he should be efficient. The bank was 
well lighted, well ventilated, and in many other 
ways a delightful place to work. His rate of pay 
was fully satisfactory to him, and his companions 
were congenial. And yet he accomplished little, 
and that little was so poor that he was hardly 
"worth his salt." Furthermore, instead of improv- 
ing, he was rapidly growing worse. A little in- 
vestigation soon brought out the fact that the 
chief accountant, while most efficient himself, and 
while securing a high quantity and quality of work 



20 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

/irom most of the other employees, kept this par- 
ticular young man in a constant state of terror 
and nervousness. The young man was of an ex- 
ceedingly sensitive and responsive disposition, and 
would have accomplished wonders if his loyalty, 
love of achievement, and ambition had been ap- 
pealed to. Instead, his chief had attempted to 
stimulate him by rather sharp rebuke and stinging 
criticism. It took a great deal of careful and pains- 
taking instruction to the chief accountant about 
the disposition of his employee and the right way 
of handling him, but such efforts finally brought 
results. This bookkeeper, who had been almost 
worthless, became a valued employee in a few months 
under right methods of treatment. 

It is well known to any one who will observe and 
think even a little that every man, woman, and 
child is a separate and distinct individual in all 
respects, and responds best to the kind of treatment 
best suited to his individuality. In the ideal or- 
ganization, therefore, every employee is handled 
and managed, not according to the whims, preju- 
dices, and pet theories of his superiors, but ac- 
cording to the needs of his own peculiar type. 

HOPE OF PROMOTION 

Among the fundamental principles of the uni- 
verse is the law of growth. Of the laws apply- 



THE IDEAL IN EMPLOYMENT 21 

ing peculiarly to sensate beings, this law of growth, 
the law of self-preservation, and the law of race- 
perpetuation constitute a fundamental trinity. No 
matter how low a man has fallen, no matter how 
hard the conditions under which he lives, no 
matter how great his privations or severe his trials, 
let him but feel that the law of growth is having its 
way with him, that he is progressing, that he has 
the right to hope, and he will have courage and 
strength for it all. But take away that hope, and 
no matter how pleasant and agreeable his sur- 
roundings and conditions, no matter how great his 
achievements, how high his attainments, or how 
many and valuable the things he possesses, he will 
look at life with the tragic eyes of despair. When 
there is no opportunity for advancement, for pro- 
motion, a man may work under the spur of neces- 
sity, but his work has in it nothing of that joyous 
abandon which arises from constructive thought 
and feeling, and results in efficiency. 

In the ideal organization every man performs 
his part with the hope of a better to-morrow ever 
beckoning him on. The law of growth applies 
also to the feeling of the wise employer toward his 
employee. 

When we studied the most successful organization 
of its kind in the United States, already mentioned 
in these pages, we found that every member of the 



22 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

executive staff had been a member of the organiza- 
tion for from fifteen to thirty-five years, and that 
every one of them had begun work in the organi- 
zation as a boy. Each of them had developed 
along the lines of his talents and tastes until he 
had become the head of a great department. 

Now, the development of an office boy into a 
general manager, of a stenographer into a purchas- 
ing agent, or of a clerk into an advertising man- 
ager, is not a matter of chance, but rather of 
education. Every factory, every store, every office 
is in the best and truest sense of the word a school. 
One of the finest things about work done by the 
right kind of man under the right conditions is the 
fact that work is an education. There is more 
true and valuable learning, more real and perma- 
nent development, in work under proper conditions 
than in any other kind of schooling. 

In the industrial era just passed and now drawing 
to a close, it was to have been expected that em- 
ployers, with their chief attention absorbed by 
questions relating to machines and methods, should 
neglect the greatest of all their assets — namely, 
the latent but easily developed mental and psychi- 
cal forces of their employees. The men who, like 
Carnegie, have made their organizations schools in 
which masters and millionaires were trained, have 
stood out from all the rest by reason of their success. 



THE IDEAL IN EMPLOYMENT 23 

In order that work may educate a man he must 
know what he is doing and why he is doing it; 
he must be taught not only how to do things in 
the best, easiest, and quickest ways, but must be 
taught why he does them at all, and why he does 
them in the way pointed out. We have encountered 
thousands of workmen standing at their machines 
day after day, working on parts of commodities 
whose place and function in the whole they had 
never been taught. Since the blunder of some ob- 
scure employee may possibly lose a sale or estrange a 
valuable customer, why not teach that employee just 
what part he takes in producing the goods and ser- 
vices of the concern and just how his part of the work 
may affect the patron who pays his money for it? 

THE SPIRIT OF^ THE HIVE 

Men are naturally gregarious — they like to "be- 
long." Many a man is far more eager for the suc- 
cess of his team, of his club, of his party, than he is 
for his own individual success. It is natural for 
men to devote themselves and all they possess — 
even their life's blood — to a leader, to a cause, or 
to their country. Men who are often apathetic 
and indifferent to their own interests will rise to 
heroic heights under such incentives. It is easy 
for the wise employer to appeal to this quality 
through right methods of education. 



24 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

Many stories are told vividly exemplifying this 
devotion of men to a leader. Perhaps none is 
more striking than this one from the History of 
Napoleon by Lockhart. A company of grena- 
diers, former soldiers of Napoleon, had been sent 
out to intercept his march when he was on his re- 
turn from Elba. "Either party halted until Na- 
poleon himself came up," says Lockhart. "He 
did not hesitate for a moment. He dismounted, 
and advanced alone ; some paces behind him came 
a hundred of his guard with their arms reversed. 
There was perfect silence on all sides until he was 
within a few yards of the men. He then halted, 
threw open his surtout so as to show the star of the 
Legion of Honour, and exclaimed, 'If there be 
among you a soldier who desires to kill his general 
— his Emperor — let him do it now. Here I am.' 
The old cry of Vive I'Empereur burst instantane- 
ously from every lip. Napoleon threw himself 
among them, and taking a veteran private, cov- 
ered with chevrons and medals, by the whisker, 
said, 'Speak honestly, old Moustache, couldst thou 
have had the heart to kill thy Emperor.?' The 
man dropped his ramrod into his piece to show 
that it was uncharged, and answered, 'Judge if I 
could have done thee much harm — all the rest 
are the same.' " 

We have never worked with a more intensely 



THE IDEAL IN EMPLOYMENT 25 

loyal and self-forgetful band of men and women 
than the employees of a certain manufacturing 
concern with a rather remarkable history and 
strongly individual policies, traditions, and ideals. 
This spirit of loyalty was created and developed 
largely by educating the employees so that every 
one of them could, and did, talk eloquently and en- 
thusiastically about the past triumphs of *'our 
house," about its clear-headed, common-sense 
policies, about its traditions of high quality and 
excellent service, and about its splendid moral 
ideals. 

THE employee's IDEAL 

In the ideal organization every employee is 
looked upon as a bundle of limitless latent pos- 
sibilities, and his training and education are held 
to be of far more importance than the invention 
of new machinery, the discovery of new methods, 
or the opening of new markets. And this is rea- 
sonable. Some obscure employee, thus trained 
and educated, may invent more wonder-working 
machinery, discover more efl&cient methods, and 
open up wider and more profitable markets than 
any before dreamed. Even if no such brilliant 
star rises as the result of education, the increased 
efiiciency, loyalty, and enthusiasm of the whole 
mass of employees lifted, be it ever so little, by 



26 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

education within the organization, has yielded 
results in scores of institutions that have come 
under our observation within the last few years 
far beyond any won by mechanical or commercial 
exploitation. 

The ideal for every employee, therefore, is that he 
should he employed in that "position which he is best 
fitted to fill, doing work which by natural aptitudes, 
training, and experience he is best qualified to do, 
and working under conditions of material environ- 
ment — tools, rates of pay, hours of labour, and 
periods of rest, superintendence and management, 
future prospects, and education • — that will develop 
and make useful to himself and his employer his best 
and finest latent abilities and capacities. 

We have seen that the ideal for the organization 
is that each man in it shall be so selected, assigned, 
managed, and educated that he will express for 
the organization his highest and best constructive 
thoughts and feelings. 

THE MUTUAL IDEAL COOPERATION 

There is one more step. That is the mutual 
ideal. It is contained in the other two — and the 
other two are essentially one. 

The mutual ideal is the ideal of cooperation. 
There is no antagonism between these ideals. 
The old fallacy that the boss must get just as 



THE IDEAL IN EMPLOYMENT 27 

much as possible out of the workman and pay just 
as little as possible, and that the workman must 
do just as little as he can and wring from the boss 
just as much pay as he can for what he does, and 
that, therefore, their interests are diametrically 
opposed, has been all but exploded. It was based 
upon ignorance, upon prejudice, and upon privately 
interested misrepresentation. The new scientific 
spirit, working side by side with the new spirit of 
a broader and deeper humanity, has demonstrated, 
and is demonstrating, the truth, that in no other 
union is there such great strength as in the union 
of those who are working together, creating wealth 
for themselves and serving humanity. This is the 
mutual, cooperative ideal in employment. And 
it is for the practical realization of this ideal that 
we have devised the plan whose principles and 
practical workings are described in this book. 



CHAPTER III 

A SCIENTIFIC PLAN OF EMPLOYMENT 

IN A large printing plant we investigated we 
found the foreman of the press-room purchas- 
ing ink and paper and caring for the stores of 
these commodities. The foreman of the composing- 
room, in like manner, attended to the purchase 
of type, electrotypes, engravings, and other sup- 
plies for his department. He also had full charge 
of his stores. As might be expected, he made more 
than his salary in commissions. The foreman of 
the bindery purchased glue, cloth, leather, wire, 
thread, strawboard, and other such supplies, and 
also kept an eye on what he had on hand and issued 
it upon oral requests to the members of the bind- 
ing-room force. We were not astonished to find 
the shipping clerk buying nails, marking ink, wrap- 
ping paper, twine, and sheet-iron straps; but we 
were amazed to find that the general manager 
himself purchased coal for the boilers and lubri- 
cating oil for the machinery. We had expected 
to find these duties delegated to the janitor. We 
found that a little print shop not far away, owned 



A SCIENTIFIC PLAN 29 

by a brother-in-law of the foreman of the press- 
room, had been running along for nearly two years 
with no expense for ink, and scarcely any for paper. 
Modern factory owners will be quite prepared for 
the statement that even the coal purchased by the 
general manager himself was purchased by the 
ton and that the general manager hadn't the ghost 
of an idea that there existed in the universe any 
such standards as British thermal units. 

That was the old way and the crude way of pur- 
chasing. We found the next step above that in 
an electrical supply house. There all purchasing 
was concentrated in the hands of a purchasing 
agent and his staff. This purchasing agent was 
honest and capable. He had sharpened his wits 
and studied markets until his employers boasted 
of him that he could buy materials and equipment 
cheaper than any other man in the business. An 
investigation of this company's records, however, 
very quickly showed that, although they purchased 
more cheaply per ton, per gross, or per linear foot, 
according to the commodities, than any of their 
competitors, yet the item of cost charged up to 
material and equipment in their products was 
higher than that of any of their competitors. This 
seemed strange, but further investigation showed 
that a great deal of what was purchased so cheaply 
had to be thrown on the scrap-heap; that a ton of 



30 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

coal or of copper purchased in this way somehow or 
other did not yield as much heat or as many feet 
of salable wire as it should. Besides these losses, 
we discovered that there was considerable dis- 
satisfaction among customers because of the poor 
quality of the product they bought. Too many 
consignments of goods were returned because un- 
expected flaws developed. 

SCIENTIFIC METHODS IN BUSINESS 

In the truly up-to-date purchasing department 
there is a due regard for prices. But the supreme 
consideration is quality. And when it comes to 
determining qualities, to finding just the best ma- 
terial or equipment for the purpose in view, there 
is no guesswork, there is no taking the word of 
some one else, there is no favouritism. The modern 
purchasing agent proceeds upon exact knowledge. 
In his laboratory he analyzes and tests materials and 
equipment with scientific accuracy. He also de- 
termines by the same methods what are the standard 
requirements of materials and equipment needed. 

In the early days of our industries, inventions 
and improvements in machinery and methods 
were looked upon as dispensations of Divine Prov- 
idence, as it were, so far as employers were con- 
cerned. If some inventive genius, either inside or 
outside of the organization, made a revolutionary 



A SCIENTIFIC PLAN 31 

discovery, well and good. They would do their 
best to avail themselves of it as quickly as did 
their competitors. If not, well, they and their 
corhpetitors were on the same plane. 

No modern factory is complete without its ex- 
perimental and inventing department. The in- 
ventor is no longer either a starving genius in a 
garret or a lucky fellow who stumbles on a dis- 
covery, but a salaried man with whom inventing is 
a profession. 

We have seen the same changes occur in selling, 
financing, accounting, producing, efficiency engi- 
neering, and other phases of manufacturing within 
the last few years. All this simply means that 
which had been left entirely to chance or delegated 
helter-skelter to minor executives who might or 
might not be competent — and certainly were not 
provided with time, money, and equipment for 
accuracy — has now been placed in the hands of a 
competent person, amply provided with all neces- 
sary means for supplanting haphazard, hit-or-miss, 
guesswork methods by orderly, accurate, and effi- 
cient procedure and exact knowledge. 

ESSENTIALS OF THE BLACKFORD PLAN OF 
EMPLOYMENT 

The plan of employment here presented has been 
designed to operate upon the same fundamental 



32 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

principles. The plan closely follows in its essen- 
tials the evolution of other recent phases of our 
industrial and commercial life. In practice the 
plan consists in concentrating authority and re- 
sponsibility for all relations between employer and 
employee in an employment department under the 
direction and supervision of a specially selected and 
trained employment supervisor. Wherever we have 
installed the plan our first step has been to select 
and train with great care an employment supervisor, 
and to assist him in the organization of his staff and 
in the creation of an employment department. 

The first duty of the employment department, 
after it has been organized, located in its offices, 
and completely equipped for work, is to relieve 
foremen, heads of departments, and other line 
officers of the responsibility and trouble of inter- 
viewing applicants, selecting employees, making 
transfers and adjustments, discharging employees, 
and all similar duties and obligations. Thus re- 
lieved, foremen and other executives are able to 
devote their entire time, thought, and energy to 
administration and management, and to the specific 
duties of their positions. 

When this first step has been taken, the employ- 
ment department finds itself responsible for the 
personnel of the organization, finds itself faced 
with the task of creating out of whatever human 



A SCIENTIFIC PLAN 33 

material is at hand and can be secured the ideal 
organization described in the preceding chapter. 

The advantages to an institution, large or small, 
of an employment department, are many. So 
great is the superiority of a definite, scientific plan 
over unstandardized methods, with scattered re- 
sponsibility, that only by widespread adoption of 
such a plan in many different kinds of business 
institutions can all of the advantages be known. 
We suggest here a few which have been demon- 
strated in our own experience. 

UNIFORMITY OF POLICY AND METHODS 

First. An efficient central employment depart- 
ment greatly facilitates the apphcation of a uniform 
policy to all relationships between employees and 
management. It is far easier to instil ideals into 
the minds of an employment supervisor and his 
assistants, and to hold them responsible for the 
realization of those ideals, than it is to instruct and 
hold in line a number of minor executives, such as 
heads of departments, foremen, gang bosses, super- 
intendents, chief clerks, head stenographers, etc. 
The management may have high ideals as to jus- 
tice, mutual service, loyalty, obedience, or any other 
qualities. This plan affords an opportunity for the 
better realization of these ideals throughout the 
entire institution. 



34 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

Second. In a central employment department 
it has been found possible to work out and adopt 
uniform methods of dealing with employees. By 
careful study and experimentation the most ad- 
vantageous methods have been determined and, 
as the result of experience crystallized in records, 
have been perfected. There must be one best 
policy, one best set of ideals, and one best method 
of employment for every institution. It is only 
by the concentration of all matters pertaining to 
employment in one central department that these 
policies, these ideals, and these methods can be 
determined and applied. 

Third. Every business enterprise has, or should 
have, its own definite standards of efficiency and of 
corresponding rates of compensation for its em- 
ployees. It should also have standards as to 
physical condition, education, experience, moral 
character, and other qualifications, according to the 
nature of the business and the position occupied 
by the employee. With uniformity and concen- 
tration of responsibility, the maintenance of such 
standards is made less difficult. One very fre- 
quent cause of friction and ill-feeling between em- 
ployers and employees is the inequality of policies, .. 

methods, and standards almost ijjevitable whei] , 

every minor executive in the institution is a more 
or less absolute monarch in his own little realm so 



A SCIENTIFIC PLAN 35 

far as hiring, "firing," and promotion are con- 
cerned. 

ECONOMY AND CONTROL 

Fourth. It is a cardinal rule of efficiency that 
concentration of function wherever possible results 
in the elimination of waste, and therefore in 
economy. First of all, there is economy in the 
time of foremen, department heads, and other ex- 
ecutives freed from the necessity of interviewing 
applicants. We have already referred to this. 
In some cases it amounts to a very considerable 
saving. We have also found that the adoption of 
this plan effects large savings in the number of 
employees placed on the pay-roll. A sympathetic 
foreman, chief clerk, or other executive is prone to 
hire more men than he needs when applicants are 
permitted to go to him with their pleas. In a case 
which recently came under our observation, an 
office manager, moved by the artistic hard-luck 
story of an ancient loafer and town character, gave 
him a job in the accounting department at a time 
when competent men who had served the company 
faithfully for years, who owned homes in the com- 
munity, and were valued citizens, were laid off on 
account of depression consequent upon reorgani- 
zation of the business. 

It is a practice in many organizations for execu- 



36 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

tives to keep their forces intact, even during tem- 
porary lulls, so that a resumption of activity may 
not find them short-handed. It is a common ex- 
perience to see workers in one department of a 
factory or store rushed to the limit of endurance, 
working overtime, while the working force of an- 
other department loafs. In all such cases a central 
employment department acts as an accommodator, 
equalizing the pressure, withdrawing workers where 
they are not needed, transferring them to where 
they are needed, maintaining reserve lists of workers 
for all departments, and keeping in close touch 
not only with the needs of each department, but 
with applicants who stand ready to begin work 
upon short notice. 

Fifth. The concentration in one department of 
all relationships with employees gives the manage- 
ment a small handle, easily grasped and with a big 
leverage, for the control of one of the most important 
and usually most troublesome factors in a business. 
In this department there are standardized, and 
therefore uniform, records not only of all employees, 
but of all phases of the employment situation. 
This means that there is always at hand reliable, 
accurate, and definite information. Does the man- 
agement want a man with some special ability 
at a moment's notice? The employment depart- 
ment has long had its eye upon such a man, either 



A SCIENTIFIC PLAN 37 

employed in some capacity in the institution or 
upon its list of applicants. Is it desirable to know 
which one of a dozen minor executives is the most 
successful in handling men? A digest of the rec- 
ords in the employment department quickly gives 
the answer. 

EMPLOYMENT BY EXPERTS. 

Sixth. By the adoption of this plan we have 
been enabled to put all employment matters into 
the hands of those specially selected, educated, 
and trained for the work — in other words, to 
avail ourselves of the services of experts in employment. 
This also is in line with efficiency and scientific 
management methods. The efficiency engineer 
centres all responsibility for certain functions of the 
organization in the hands of experts called staff 
officers, such as purchasing agents, storekeepers, and 
chiefs of power and maintenance, lighting, belting, 
safety, sanitation, dispatching, scheduling, and other 
such departments. The scientific management ex- 
pert centres responsibility for all these things in 
what are caWed functional foremen. The results in 
both systems are well known to those who have had 
experience with them or studied them. It all means 
taking responsibility out of the hands of those who 
may or may not be competent, and turning it over 
to those who are known to be expert. 



38 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

BROAD SCOPE OF PLAN 

Seventh. By the installation of an employment 
department the scope of employment activity can 
very easily be greatly broadened. For example, it 
would obviously be a great waste for the account- 
ing, sales, collection, advertising, designing, and 
several other departments and divisions of a store, 
factory, oflBce, or bank, each to send out a scout 
in search of desirable applicants. But employ- 
ment supervisors frequently either go themselves 
or send some member of their staff on a scouting 
expedition, searching for needed employees for all 
departments of a business. A central employment 
department can attempt far more in the matter of 
records, files, advertising for help, analysis of posi- 
tions, and analysis of men, than would be possible 
without such specialization of function. It is also 
possible for the employment department to organ- 
ize and direct all of those activities, with reference 
to health, happiness, and loyalty of employees, 
commonly referred to as welfare work. This is 
especially true with reference to general and special 
education and training of employees. 

Our records show that the average employee in 
the average institution represents a capitalized 
value of between $2,500 and $3,000 to his em- 
ployer. It is the function of the employment de- 
partment not only to protect that investment from 



A SCIENTIFIC PLAN S9 

depreciation and loss inevery way possible, but even 
to develop and increase its value. 

Thus centralizing employment activities is the 
external mechanism of our plan. But its distinc- 
tive and essential features lie rather in the scien- 
tific analysis of all factors of employment and action 
based upon these analyses, interpreted in the light 
of experience and common sense. 



CHAPTER IV 

DISCIPLINE 

WHY, your plan is impossible ! If we take 
away from our executive heads the right 
to ' hire and fire,' they will lose control of 
their men. Most of them will walk out. They 
won't stand for it." 

The air of finality with which the foregoing con- 
demnation was delivered when we first proposed 
our plan to one employer might have utterly dis- 
couraged us. But we had heard many other high 
authorities declare that certain things were utterly 
impossible, and yet these very things had been done. 

We had an idea, originating in a good many 
years' experience and study, that the average 
executive would be only too glad to be relieved of a 
responsibility which took time from the regular 
duties of his position, and which he did not feel 
particularly well qualified to perform. The aver- 
age executive, whether head of a department or 
foreman of a gang, is a man of intelligence and 
common sense, a man who is willing to listen to 
reason, a man who is not so puffed up with a little 

40 



DISCIPLINE 41 

brief authority that he is unwilling to relinquish 
this prerogative if by so doing he can greatly in- 
crease the harmony, efficiency, and output of the 
department for which he is responsible. We be- 
lieved that the very incompetency — not at all 
his fault — of the average executive to "hire and 
fire" would be the strongest argument in his mind 
for turning it over to an expert. 

The average executive is incompetent to select 
and assign or to discharge employees. If in the 
modern, scientifically managed institution the ex- 
ecutive or foreman is considered to be, and ac- 
knowledges himself to be, incompetent to select 
raw materials and machinery, how can he rea- 
sonably be expected to select, assign, or throw out, 
human values which are so difficult of analysis 
that some of the critics who want to leave the re- 
sponsibility to minor executives declare in the 
same breath that not even an expert can be trained 
to analyze and understand human nature? It is 
significant that no one who insists that department 
heads should select and discharge their own men 
has the temerity to maintain that they are com- 
petent to do it scientifically. 

THE "hire and fire" METHOD 

The average executive is not expected to select 
employees fitted by aptitudes, character, training. 



42 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

and experience for the work they have to do. He 
is expected to select such men as he can secure — 
who are not absolutely debarred from the work by 
some deficiency that he can see with half an eye — 
and then to try them out. Unless they prove to be 
hopelessly incompetent, they are retained for a 
short time at least; otherwise they hear the ulti- 
matum, "Go get your time!" It matters not, of 
course, that the man so discharged, while unsatis- 
factory in the eyes of this particular official, might 
have proved to be a treasure beyond price in some 
other department. He is "fired," and, by an un- 
written law, when discharged from one department 
must not be hired by any other. 

The injustice to the employee thus discharged 
is great. But the loss to the institution is far 
greater. Aside from the fact that an executive 
might thus discharge a possible Charles M. 
Schwab, it costs from twenty to one hundred dol- 
lars to put a man's name on the pay-roll and take 
it off again. A group of thirty sales managers, 
representing as many different lines of business, 
agreed that the average cost of selecting, training, 
and putting a salesman into the field is three hun- 
dred dollars. 

We believed that another reason why foremen 
and executives would be glad to turn over to an 
efficient employment department the duties and 



DISCIPLINE 43 

responsibilities of hiring, promoting, transferring, 
and discharging was the consideration of time. 
In one institution where we installed an employ- 
ment department the comptroller, a very busy 
man, told us that the new department was saving 
at least a full day of his time every week. As he 
drew a salary of $10,000 a year, there was an an- 
nual saving of between $1,600 and $1,700 in the 
time of this one man alone. Our investigations 
have proved that either the executive must de- 
vote so much time to employment matters as 
seriously to handicap him in his other duties, or 
else attend to them in so hurried and slipshod a 
fashion that they might better be left to an intelli- 
gent office boy. 

But, supposing for the moment that your fore- 
men, or buyers, or department heads are compe- 
tent, that they know just the kind of employees 
they want, and know accurately how to tell this 
kind from the kind they do not want, they are in 
very little better case than we have pictured them, 
because they have no time, no equipment, and no 
assistance to secure efficient applicants from whom 
to select. The unusual gang-boss may occasionally 
find time and opportunity to go on a still hunt for 
a good man at night when he is off duty, or he may 
have certain private sources of information; but 
even ^e is not equipped for anything Hke a syste- 



44 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

matic searcli for men. The average foreman is 
obliged to select from the little crowd of unemployed 
at the gate of the factory. The average depart- 
ment head or executive must rely upon chance ap- 
plicants or the heterogeneous crowd that answers 
advertisements, either in person or by letter. 

Suppose, however, that in any organization all 
of the executive heads are unusual, that they have 
more or less effective although somewhat crude 
methods of hunting out good men. We have seen 
such enterprises. But the spectacle of thirty or 
forty men, each maintaining a little employment 
bureau of his own, with its attendant expenditures 
of time, energy, and money, was an example of du- 
plication, yes, multiplication, of work that ought 
to have made the management gasp. The depart- 
ment heads and gang-bosses felt the sad wasteful- 
ness of the thing, and it was because we knew that 
they felt this that we believed our plan was not an 
impossibility. 

WASTE OF UNSCIENTIFIC SELECTION 

Since the foreman in a factory, the chief clerk in 
a bank or office, or the department manager in a 
store is confessedly incompetent to select men and 
women upon the basis of their fitness for their 
tasks, upon what basis may we expect him to make 
his selection? His own opinion is perhaps the least 



DISCIPLINE 45 

objectionable basis. Every man's opinion is but 
the expression of his personal bias — in other words, 
an utterly unscientific and unreliable quantity, 
liable to be turned this way and that by the most 
whimsical and inconsequential of considerations. 

We once knew an executive responsible for the 
industrial lives of 800 men. "My good father 
told me when I was a boy," he used to say, "never 
to trust a redhead, and I never have had a redheaded 
man or woman in my employ!" And yet there 
were any number of positions in this man's or- 
ganization in which men and women with red heads 
would have fitted with far greater efficiency than 
those who occupied them. Other manifestations 
of this same personal bias are seen in the selection 
of relatives, old friends, fellow townsmen, co-reH- 
gionists, fellow members of lodges, clubs, and secret 
societies, and people of certain nationalities. 

Many most desirable applicants are lost to the 
organization when there is no central employment 
department. They go to one or perhaps two de- 
partments and are told that they are not needed. 
And yet perhaps at that very time employees of 
their particular abilities are most sadly needed in 
some other department. 

Many an executive, with honest intentions but 
wavering will-power, would be delighted to turn 
over all employment to some one else because of 



46 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

the constant temptation to graft. We have found 
foremen exacting a bribe from every man they 
placed upon their pay-rolls and further sums from 
every man they promoted or whose pay they raised. 
We have known foremen to maintain a number of 
dummy names on their pay-rolls and convey the 
contents of all these pay envelopes to their own 
pockets. We have known other minor executives, 
in institutions where such practices were going on, 
sorely tried and tempted in keeping their honour 
clear. For these reasons we believed that execu- 
tive heads would be glad to have their employees 
selected and assigned scientifically by a department 
equipped for that work. 

And, as a matter of fact, they were glad. The 
protests came, not from the men from whom the 
prerogative of hiring and firing had been taken, but 
from the management. Our experience has been 
no different from that of efficiency engineers and 
scientific management experts. The first objection 
of the management always is, "Our business is 
different." When that has been overcome, we are 
fully prepared for the next objection, and it in- 
variably comes: "Our foremen and employees 
would never stand for it"; or "Our department 
heads would never give up their right to hire and 
fire." In the end, if anybody interferes with the 
harmonious working of the plan or balks at any 



DISCIPLINE 47 

of its provisions, it is always the management. 
The minor executives and the men in the ranks 
fall in with the plan easily enough, and within a 
very short time are working harmoniously under 
it and, almost without exception, are delighted 
with it. 

DIFFICULTIES AND OBSTACLES 

In one very large organization where we in- 
stalled an employment department the offices were 
fitted up, the supervisor and his staff chosen, all 
necessary blanks and records printed and ready 
to use, before any one, except the management, 
knew anything about the contemplated new depart- 
ure. Then all executives, heads of departments, 
and foremen were invited to attend a reception 
and meeting in the suite of offices that had been 
prepared. Everything possible was done to make 
the affair pleasant socially. At this gathering the 
plan was described, the blanks to be used were ex- 
hibited and explained, and complete instructions 
were given as to their use. Emphasis was laid 
upon the advantages of the plan to the foremen 
and heads of departments. The men were en- 
couraged to ask questions, which were carefully 
answered. As a result of this meeting the hearty 
cooperation of a number of the foremen was im- 
mediately enlisted, and observation of the plan in 



48 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

its practical workings soon won over the recalci- 
trants. 

In another large institution where a method 
somewhat similar to this was adopted, at the be- 
ginning the task of securing intelligent and enthu- 
siastic cooperation from the heads of departments 
was not so easy. While most of them seemed to 
fall into line readily enough when the plan was 
presented to them, difficulties speedily developed 
when actual operation was begun. At first, either 
through inadvertence or in the hope of finding 
the new rules inoperative, department heads at- 
tempted to hire workers without recognizing the 
employment department. Inasmuch as they found 
it impossible to have the names of the new em- 
ployees thus engaged placed on the pay-roll, they 
soon changed their tactics. They employed men 
and women and set them to work and then sent 
them to the employment department to apply for 
positions in which they had already been placed. 
By patience and kindness, combined with vigilance 
and firmness, the employment supervisor finally 
persuaded these executives that this method would 
not be permitted. 

Their next move, therefore, was to send people 
whose names they desired to place upon the pay-roll, 
to the employment department with an enthusiastic 
recommendation. Investigation frequently showed 



DISCIPLINE 49 

that those thus recommended were either former 
employees who had left with a bad record, relatives, 
or personal friends of the department head, or, for 
some other reason, unemployable in the capacity 
recommended. 

In some cases there was the most stubborn re- 
sistance to every attempt of the employment de- 
partment to study conditions. This resistance 
was met with kindness and consideration but abso- 
lute firmness. The resulting investigation always 
showed that there were irregularities in the de- 
partment which the head of it wished to conceal. 
Sometimes it would turn out that there were dum- 
mies on the pay-roll or that employees were paying 
their superior for their positions, increases, promo- 
tions, holidays, and other privileges. 

There seemed to be an irresistible temptation 
on the part of some executives to transfer men 
from one department to another without consult- 
ing the employment department. These transfers 
sometimes included a change in the rate of pay, 
and otherwise entangled the records. 

In some cases, when a rush of work was antici- 
pated, executives would send requisitions for more 
men than they needed, not trusting the department 
to find enough workers for them. 

It was difiicult at first to prevail upon some of 
the heads of departments to take pains with their 



50 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

reports to the employraent supervisor. Some were 
lazy, some were indifferent, some were ignorant, 
and some evidently held the whole plan in con- 
tempt. 

For some time heads of departments continued 
to discharge their men, for no good reason, simply 
to show their authority, or because of a whim or 
loss of temper or personal bias or jealousy. At 
times men in the organization who were disgruntled 
attempted to foment a strike. 

MEETING DIFFICULTIES 

All of these difficulties and others were met, first 
of all, by having the employment department so 
well organized, and its finger so closely upon the 
pulse of the entire organization, that every at- 
tempted irregularity was quickly known. As soon 
as the evidence was all in hand, the department 
head responsible for the irregularity was called in. 
He was talked with kindly but firmly. It was as- 
sumed, as a general rule, that his departure from 
the plan was due, not to any rebelliousness on his 
part, but to a lack of thorough understanding, 
which was often true. Desiring to shield them- 
selves from the charge of ignorance or stupidity, 
heads of departments usually exclaimed glibly: 
*'0h, yes, I understand how to use the plan." In- 
vestigation showed that in some cases where this 



DISCIPLINE 51 

claim was made they did not even understand how 
to fill out the simplest blank; so the whole plan was 
painstakingly explained to them from their point 
of view, not so much from the point of view of the 
organization. The effort of the employment super- 
visor was to show them how the plan would benefit 
them, how it would save them time, how it would 
bring to light their efficiency, how it would supply 
them with more efficient, more congenial, more 
loyal, and less troublesome help, how it would en- 
able them to make a better and better showing for 
their departments. Not in the first interview al- 
ways, nor in the second, but finally every depart- 
ment head either fell into line or, realizing that he 
was entirely out of harmony with the new spirit 
of the organization, voluntarily tendered his res- 
ignation. 

Nor did the work of the employment supervisor 
end here. Occasional get-together meetings were 
held with the heads of departments. Difficulties and 
misunderstandings that had arisen were threshed 
out. Questions were answered. Experiences were 
related, and in a quiet way much was done to 
arouse and stimulate enthusiasm for the plan. 

In addition to this, an expert from the employ- 
ment department interviewed every superior and 
minor executive in the organization, sized him up, 
learned his preferences and peculiarities, diplo- 



52 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

matically wheedled out of him his objections to the 
plan, if he had any, and sounded him for suggestions 
for its improvement. Much valuable information 
was obtained in this way, as well as some valuable 
hints for the improvement of the service. 

RESULTS CONVINCE THE OBSTINATE 

All of these methods were effective, and one by 
one most of the heads of departments accepted 
the innovation and worked gladly hand in hand 
with the employment department. It was inevi- 
table in so large an organization as this one that 
some exceedingly hard-headed and conservative 
executives should resist to the bitter end. When, 
however, they began to see the actual results their 
attitude changed. They found that the efficiency 
of the workers furnished them by the employment 
department was of a much higher quality, on an 
average, than of the workmen they had been able 
to obtain by their own efforts. They found the 
expenses of their departments decreasing, and the 
production increasing. They found friction and 
trouble with employees decreasing, and in the end 
they were delighted, because they had more time 
for the real duties of their positions and were free 
from interruptions, since they did not need to inter- 
view applicants. With the exception, therefore, of 
a few who resigned because they felt themselves 



DISCIPLINE 53 

wholly out of harmony with the scientific spirit 
of the employment plan, every one of these heads 
of departments not only gave the employment su- 
pervisor his enthusiastic cooperation, but formed 
the habit of going to him for counsel and advice 
upon many matters pertaining to his subordi- 
nates. 

The method just outlined is perhaps the best 
for the average large business. In smaller insti- 
tutions it has been found advantageous to vary this 
method somewhat according to circumstances. In 
one smaller organization the foremen were inter- 
viewed individually by the employment supervisor, 
the whole plan being explained to them, and their 
cooperation requested. All but one of them was 
immediately convinced of the advantages to be 
derived and pledged their support. In the case of 
one who was skeptical, analysis of some of the 
men who were giving him trouble and other prac- 
tical measures demonstrating the value of the 
idea finally won him over. 

In still another organization, where there was 
splendid discipline and unusual loyalty, the employ- 
ment department was installed by a simple order 
from headquarters, every foreman and head of de- 
partment falling into line. 

One comparatively small organization began its 
work with an employment department by having 



54 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

the heads of departments themselves first of all 
analyzed and readjusted. The employment ex- 
pert advised several changes among these execu- 
tives which worked out so advantageously that, 
after some little adjustment, they were willing 
to have the same method applied to their subor- 
dinates. 

DISCIPLINE BY FEAR OF DISCHARGE 

Employing men and women scientifically by a 
properly organized employment department is no 
easy task even under the best conditions. It is 
difiicult — and sometimes impossible — when the 
management cannot resist the temptation to med- 
dle. If the minor executives and employees are 
perfectly willing and agreeable, then some official 
higher up is quite likely to be sure that they are 
trying to shirk responsibility. It is usual for some 
one or more of the management to fear that heads 
of departments, foremen, or gang-bosses cannot 
maintain discipline unless they shake all day long 
over the heads of their employees the club of dis- 
charge. As a matter of fact, an intelligent and 
efficient executive keeps that club concealed and 
uses it not at all except in cases of dire emergency 
— then not for discipline's sake. 

Civilization has advanced beyond that stage 
of development where fear is the strongest motive 



DISCIPLINE 55 

to excellence. A savage or a criminal may refrain 
from wrongdoing — except on the sly — because 
he is afraid. But an intelligent, efficient employee 
strives to excel and to conform with the regulations 
of the organization in which he finds himself be- 
cause of higher motives than fear of discharge. It 
is true that there are a great many men, not only 
in the lower grades of employment, but unfortu- 
nately in the higher grades, who are deceitful, 
whose ambition is to get as much as possible for 
as little service as possible. It is true that many 
employees seem to have no higher ambition than 
to beat the boss in some way. But to hold over 
such men the threat of discharge will never make 
them honest, or desirous of doing their best. Its 
only effect is to make them more cunning and 
more deceitful. Furthermore, the dishonest, shirk- 
ing employee is not the type employers desire. 

In order to build up an ideal organization, an 
organization in which all of the workers express in 
their work their highest and best constructive 
thoughts and feelings, men and women must be 
selected who are honest and truthful and who re- 
spond to higher motives than fear of discharge. 
In any organization such a standard of character 
may be established for employees, and through an 
efficient employment department such employees 
may be selected, and the unintelligent, the unreli- 



56 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

able, and the lazy rejected. That an organization 
has set up such standards soon becomes known, 
and only such men apply as are willing to meet the 
conditions. 

MEN RESPOND TO HIGHER MOTIVES 

In practice we readily detect those who are un- 
truthful, for example. They are almost certain to 
tell us falsehoods when applying for work. When 
they do, we frequently reject their applications 
and tell them why they are rejected. The effect 
of this is often interesting. One young man who 
had lied to us returned and pleaded with us to per- 
mit him to make another application. *'I will 
tell you the truth this time," he said. "I lied 
to you before." Even the lower grades of shop 
employees, men whose training oftentimes had 
not included instruction in truthfulness, men who 
could scarcely comprehend at first that there was 
anything wrong in lying, returned to us and asked 
to be permitted to tell the truth. 

It has been found, not only in our experience, 
but in the experience of many employers and other 
investigators, that even the crudest and least hope- 
ful of employees will respond to higher mo- 
tives far more readily than to the destructive 
motive of fear. In every human being there is a 
sense of justice and fair-play. This can be ap- 



DISCIPLINE 57 

pealed to, first, by giving the fair deal; and second, 
by quiet suggestion on the part of superiors, of the 
employment supervisor or some of his staff. Again 
and again we have adjusted differences between 
superiors and their subordinates, between em- 
ployee and employee, by a straightforward appeal 
to the spirit of fair-play. The men who heeded 
this appeal were always pleased with the results. 
They had played fair, and it added greatly to their 
self-respect. We have seen men who began their 
upward climb in the world through trying to live 
up to one little unselfish act of fair-play. 

The employer who does not avail himself of the 
natural, healthy love of work in his men as a mo- 
tive for excellence loses much. No matter what a 
man 's vocation may be, his work has the spice of 
romance. Into every kind of work, no matter 
how lowly, can be introduced a desire for artistic 
excellence. We have seen shovellers taking great 
pride in their expertness with the shovel, in the 
distance they could throw and the way they could 
land the shovel-load, either in a small, compact pile, 
or scattered, as they chose. The right kind of 
treatment and attention by the right kind of im- 
mediate superior, and the right kind of manage- 
ment, will make almost any man love his work and 
take pride in doing it well. The motive of pride 
is one that can be appealed to in all men. 



58 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

A SCHOOL FOR EXECUTIVES 

A well-qualified employment supervisor teaches 
executives what motives will be found strongest 
in each of their men. On one occasion we were 
called in conference by an employer with reference 
to a young man in his advertising department . The 
employer told us that the young man was one of 
the most brilliant he had, an enthusiastic, con- 
scientious, and tireless worker, whose brain teemed 
with original ideas. Suddenly, and inexplicably 
to his employer, the young man lost interest in his 
work and became sullen, irritable, and practically 
worthless. "I don't want to let him go," the 
employer said to us, *'but unless he braces up he is 
worse than useless to me." As soon as we looked 
at the young man we saw that he was sensitive, 
proud, and keenly responsive. *'Some way or 
other," we said to the employer, "you have humili- 
ated that boy, you have hurt his pride. He will be 
useless to you until the wound is healed. Perhaps, 
if you know how he was hurt, you yourself can 
apply the salve." The employer then acknowl- 
edged to us that he had severely reprimanded the 
young man in the presence of his associates, and 
recalled that this was indeed the beginning of his 
trouble. At our suggestion, this young man was 
treated with greater courtesy, consideration, and 
justice. Occasionally, when he had so far for- 



DISCIPLINE 59 

gotten his wounded pride as to manifest a little of 
his old-time excellence, his employer would give 
him a quiet word of commendation. The result 
was that within a few weeks he was doing better 
work than ever. 

Hope of promotion, increase in wages, bonus for 
efficiency, and other forms of reward have been 
found far better aids in maintaining discipline 
than fear of discharge. Love of the game is strong 
in nearly every human being, and in many animals. 
It was the victorious broom at the top of the smoke- 
stack at the mill showing the largest production 
that caused the Carnegie company to outstrip all 
its competitors, both at home and abroad. It is 
significant that this appeal was made largely to 
men doing the very roughest and coarsest kind of 
work. Any gang of ditchdiggers will pitch in and 
make the dirt fly in order to outdistance another 
gang. It was this spirit of the game, introduced 
into the work at the Isthmus, that enabled Colonel 
Goethals and his men to make such remarkable 
records. 

Finally, and perhaps the most potent of all means 
in an executive's hands for maintaining discipline, 
is the personal element. When you cannot get a 
man to do a thing because it is right and fair, when 
you cannot get a man to do a thing because he loves 
to do it, or because of his pride in it, when you 



60 THE JOB, THE MA^, THE BOSS 

cannot get a man to do a thing for pay or for pro- 
motion or to win a contest, you often can get him to 
do it because he Ukes you and wants to please you. 
It Hes in human nature for men to follow a loved 
leader cheerfully and gladly through fire and water, 
and even to death. 

In actual practice we have found that the most 
successful handlers of men use these means, rather 
than their right to discharge, in maintaining dis- 
cipline. Even men who have been wont to shake 
the club over their employees' heads can usually 
be persuaded to appeal to higher motives than 
fear. In general, executives under the employment 
plan are more thoughtful, more careful, more con- 
siderate in their dealings with their men when given 
to understand that every efficient employee is an 
asset and not an expense, and that they are respon- 
sible to the firm for him. Every executive, high 
or low, is made to feel that his men have been care- 
fully selected and accepted only after consultation 
with him, and that if they do not prove to be 
efficient he is answerable. Both department heads 
and management are made to realize that the 
executive who complains of inefficiency, careless- 
ness, or insubordination among his men condemns 
himself. We find that when executives are thus 
made to feel responsible for every man under their 
supervision and direction they are more careful to 



DISCIPLINE 61 

give them the fair deal, to give them an opportunity 
to develop and improve, and to realize from them 
for the organization their greatest efficiency. 

Just as every foreman, department head, or 
other executive must answer to his superior for the 
good condition, efficiency, and standard product of 
each of his machines, or the proper care and disposi- 
tion of his stock and fixtures, so he must answer 
to the employment supervisor for the health, 
happiness, and efficiency of each of his men. The 
ideal is for the foreman or other executive to keep 
his men, not discharge them — an ideal which is 
held constantly before his mind, and which results 
in better discipline, fewer changes in personnel, and 
far greater efficiency. 



CHAPTER V 

THE JOB 

AN ADVERTISING manager of our ac- 
quaintance told his president and general 
manager that he needed a new copy-writer. 

"We have added that new line of brass, copper, 
and silver specialties and there isn't a man in my 
department who has the ability to write the dope, 
even if he had the time, which none of them has.'* 

"I have got just the man for you," exclaimed 
the general manager. "I met him on my trip to 
St. Paul and I never in my life saw a man better 
fitted for that job than this fellow. I'll wire for 
him to-night." 

"But," objected the advertising manager, "what 
has he done? What is his experiences^ Whom has 
he been with?" 

"Now, don't worry about that a minute. I 
haven't got time now to tell you all about him, 
but I'll wire for him, and I give you my word you 
will find him all right." 

Two days later the newly acquired copy-writer 
arrived to take up his duties. He had given up his 



THE JOB 63 

position as bookkeeper at $125 a month, and had 
left his wife and children to pack his household 
furniture and sell his house and lot. The man was 
thoroughly in earnest, seriously so in fact, and did 
his best; but his copy was stilted, archaic, dry as 
dust, and otherwise impossible. The advertising 
manager did his best to tell him what was expected 
of him. The ex-bookkeeper tried faithfully enough, 
but his attempts at the light, swift, easy, effective 
style of twentieth-century advertising would have 
been pitiable if they had not been ludicrous. 

After the general manager's "find" had been in 
the office a week, the advertising manager said 
to his chief: *'I thought you said that man from St. 
Paul was an ad writer, the best you had ever seen. 
Why, he never wrote an ad before in his life! As 
far as I can find out, he never wrote anything 
before he came here. What put it into your head 
that he was the man for this job, anyhow? " 

*'W^hy, I thought he would be a wonderful 
literary man. I found that he had read care- 
fully every volume of Dickens, Shakespeare, and 
Macaulay." 

IGNORANCE OF REQUIREMENTS OF JOBS 

This true incident is a fair sample of the igno- 
rance of the average employer regarding the re- 
quirements of the various jobs in his organization. 



64 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

and how to find men to fit them. Nor is the aver- 
age foreman or department head much better. 
Until they have been instructed, such executives 
continually send us requisitions for quick, active, 
speedy men for positions requiring slow, plodding, 
painstaking accuracy; for careful, cautious men for 
positions which require a certain amount of daring; 
and for solid, conservative men for jobs where initi- 
ative, aggressiveness, and originality are the prime 
requirements. 

We had a foreman in one place who used to send 
to us for accurate, methodical men and then rage 
when he got them because they were slow and de- 
Hberate. We were once asked to recommend for 
an important position a painstaking, reliable man 
in whom economy must be a prime requisite. We 
recommended such a man. Within two weeks he 
was returned to us with the complaint that he had 
not accomplished anything. A little investigation 
showed that the man had been expected to take 
hold of a badly managed department, tear it to 
pieces, and put it together again. It was an emer- 
gency case and the principal consideration was 
neither carefulness nor economy, but speed. And 
to make haste in work of that kind required a man 
with considerable willingness to take a chance. 

As a general rule, an executive will naturally 
incline to men of his own type, whether they are 



THE JOB 65 

best fitted for the work to be done or not. This 
is the reason why the "Hve wire" hustler, the ag- 
gressive, impatient, strenuous type of executive 
always seeks to fill his ranks with men as positive 
and reckless as himself; and why the quiet, good- 
natured, patient, plodding executive is often sur- 
rounded by men of similarly slow but certain gait. 

It is very human for a foreman or head of de- 
partment, having chosen his men with such igno- 
rance of the requirements of the positions they are 
to fill, to blame the men and not himself when they 
turn out to be inefiicient. 

For years most sales managers thought that the 
ideal travelling salesman was a bluff, hearty, back- 
slapping, hard-drinking, gorgeously apparelled in- 
dividual, and the type still sticks in our narrative 
and dramatic literature. Scientific analysis of the 
requirements of the salesman 's function, however, 
has given us the modern salesman, the man who 
gives far more attention to building business than 
to getting business, and whose motto is "He profits 
most who serves best." 

ANALYSIS THE BEST METHOD 

Edison gave us the incandescent lamp with car- 
bon filament, which was a great advance in artificial 
lighting over anything that had ever been devised 
before. But scientific analysis of the requirements 



66 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

of an incandescent lamp filament has given us 
the tungsten wire, producing a far more brilliant 
light of better quality and consuming less electric- 
ity. 

There is only one common-sense, eflBcient way of 
filling a position, just as there is only one common- 
sense, efficient way of determining what material 
is to be used in a given place. 

The man who selects the different metals, alloys, 
woods, leathers, and other materials for an auto- 
mobile according to his own opinions and preju- 
dices, with no engineering tests to determine the 
requirements of each part, would not build a ma- 
chine in which you would care to trust yourself 
going at high speed. 

The employer who leaves the selection of men 
and women, out of whom he builds his organiza- 
tion, to foremen who guess at the requirements, or 
decide upon them according to their own opinions 
or prejudices, does even worse, because a piece 
of misfit human material may do greater harm 
than a bit of cast-iron where vanadium steel is 
required. 

Some employers, realizing the necessity for more 
careful selection, have standardized to a certain de- 
gree their more important positions. But every job 
is important. The office boy in affixing stamps on 
outgoing mail may put a two-cent stamp on a letter 



THE JOB 67 

to a customer in Paris. When that customer has 
to pay six cents to get his letter out of the post 
office he is exasperated at the carelessness of the 
house. 

Over and over in our commerce and industry we 
have exemplified the story that used to be told in 
verse form in our old readers, and that ended: 
"The kingdom was lost, and all for the want of a 
horseshoe nail." 

FOUR FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENTS 

Determining the standard requirements for any 
job by the employment supervisor and his staff 
involves consultation with heads of departments, 
foremen, chiefs of divisions, and superintendents, 
with efficiency or production engineers — if there 
are any in the plant — and with the workmen 
themselves. It also involves a careful, painstaking 
study of the most efficient men doing the particular 
kind of work in question. A preliminary rough 
analysis of any job is a comparatively easy matter. 
The complete analysis requires a scientific mind, 
and an intimate knowledge of the tasks to be per- 
formed. 

If there are no efficiency or production engineers 
in the plant, the employment supervisor or some 
member of his staff provides himself with a stop- 
watch and learns how to make time and motion 



68 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

studies. While the very best of results have fol- 
lowed the detailed standardization of jobs, so little 
has been done in this respect in the average plant 
that even the roughest, most general analysis has 
proved highly profitable. 

For example, at the very beginning of the work 
of an employment department, and before any 
detailed analyses of jobs can be made, we set up 
four fundamental standard qualifications, without 
a fair degree of which no one is considered for any 
position. These essentials are: (1) health, (2) in- 
telligence, (3) honesty, and (4) industry. They 
are indispensable. 

No man is permanently worth even floor space, 
light, and heat, to say nothing of wages, unless he 
has health. 

^ Unless a man is intelligent he cannot be taught 
— he will not develop. He will not understand, 
and therefore cannot follow instructions. Even 
in the lowest kind of unskilled labour the unintel- 
ligent man costs too much for supervision to be a 
profitable investment, no matter how low his 
wages. 

By honesty we mean reliability — general trust- 
worthiness. A dishonest man cannot do honest 
work. He may seem to be wonderfully efficient 
in many ways, but work, like everything else a man 
does, is an expression of character, and a man can- 



THE JOB 69 

not be dishonest in character and express honesty 
in his work. Somehow or other he will manifest 
his essential nature, and one crooked act on his part 
may wipe out all the profits possible on a dozen 
years of his best service. 

It goes without saying, of course, that no matter 
how healthy or brilliant or how reliable a man may 
be, he is useless unless he does things, unless he 
expresses his powers in action. 

METHOD OF ANALYZING JOBS 

To make sure that every employee has these four 
qualifications is a long step in advance in the aver- 
age institution. These four fundamental qualifi- 
cations having been determined, we inquire more 
particularly: 

Does the job require physical or mental work, 
or a combination of both? Is it an executive or 
subordinate position .f* Is it light or heavy work? 
Does it require mechanical ability, artistic ability, 
commercial ability, financial ability, or the ability 
to handle people successfully? 

By a careful classification and correlation of all 
these qualifications and others, we have designed 
a suggestive chart which serves as a guide to the 
employment supervisor and his staff in standardiz- 
ing positions. This chart appears on the follow- 
ing pages: 



70 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 







THE JOB 










f Health 


Fundamental Requirements : 


) Intelligence 
] Honesty 






(_ Industry 




fTall 




jMuscular 




\ Short 




Endurance Tempera- 
( Nervous 




/Light 








^Medium 








fFine 
Texture < Medium 
(.Coarse 




rEquilib- 
rium 

Agility fC°' 




fHard 




/ Climbing 




Rigid 




(.Quickness 




Consistency< Elastic 








jSoft 






fSlow 


Physical 


(Flexible 


Physical 




Rhyth- 
mical 
Quick 
Spasmodic 
Sustained 


Require- 


fNeatness 


Require- 




ments 


Condition < Cleanliness 
lOrder 


ments 


Activity ■ 






Circula- 






Violent 






tion 






Gentle 






Nutrition 








Health ■ 


Respira- 
tion 
Muscular 
Nervous 




fDigital 
Skill < Manual 
(Pedal 




fArms 




(Visual 




Back 




Quality of ] Aural 




Strength < Hands and 




Sense < Tactile 




) fingers 




Perception ] Olfactory 




( 


.Legs 






^Gustatory 



THE JOB 



71 



Speculativeness 

Conservatism 

Sociability 

Constancy 

Aggressiveness 

Perseverance 

Originality 

Initiative 

Imitativeness 

Obedience 

Imagination 

Judgment 

Versatility 

Dependableness 

Optimism 

Caution 

Alertness 



Decisiveness 

Deliberation 

Quick thought 

Observation 

Responsibility 

Responsiveness 

Calmness 

Practicality 

Analytical ability 

Speed 

Patience 

Courage 

Carefulness 

Prudence 

Ideality 

Materialism 

Inventiveness 

Accuracy 

Concentration 

Resourcefulness 

Foresight 

Independence 

Docility 

Self-confidence 

Teachableness 

Artistic ability 

Mechanical ability 



Mental 

and 

Psychi- 
cal 

Require- 
ments 



The Job 



Financial ability 
Commercial ability 
Executive ability 
Judicial ability 
Scientific ability 
Mathematical ability 
Philosophic ability 
Literary ability 
Verbal expression 
Love of people 
Love of animals 
Love of plants 
Love of travel 
Understanding of hvunan 

nature 
Honesty 
Justice 
Cheerfulness 
Courtesy 
Industry 
Loyalty 

Conscientiousness 
Domesticity 
Enthusiasm 
Tact 

Persistence 
Alacrity 



Is temporary 

Is permanent 

Requires experience 

Requires special training 

Requires technical edu- 
cation 

Requires general educa- 
tion 

Is in line of promotion 

Is not in line of promo- 
tion 

Is union 

Is non-union 

Is open 

Approximate rate of pay 



72 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

In this list we do not attempt to cover the whole 
field of human qualities. Nor do we attempt to 
make a classification scientific from the point of 
view of the psychologist. The list presented here 
has been found adequate for our needs and the 
needs of our clients, but is capable of extension 
and improvement. 

SOME SAMPLE ANALYSES 

In analyzing any job with the use of this list, 
the process is simple. The job should be studied 
with the list in hand or in mind, and its require- 
ments, as to each of the physical, mental, psy- 
chical, and other considerations mentioned in the 
list, should be studied and determined. As a con- 
crete example, perhaps the reader will find it inter- 
esting to study his own job with this list before 
him. 

Using this chart as a guide, the following are 
some of the analyses made: 

Specialty Salesmen 

Good digestion Love of people 

Buoyant health Initiative 

Cheerfulness Persistence 

Enthusiasm Courage 

Optimism Resourcefulness 

Pleasing personality Patience 

Verbal expression Understanding of human na- 

Courtesy ture 
Tact 



THE JOB 

Retail Salesman 



73 



Cheerfulness 

Courtesy 

Tact 

Patience 

Pleasing personality 



Obedience 

Constancy Alacrity Alertness 
Understanding of human 
nature 



Screw Machine Hands 



Mechanical abiHty 
Muscular strength 
Quickness 
Accuracy 
Steadiness 



Physical strength 
Energy 

Intelligence enough to read 
and write English 



Ability to read blue-prints 
Knowledge of micrometer 
Ability to grind own tools 
Ability to set up his own job 



Truckers 

Dependableness 
Good sense of location 
Good memory 



Lathe Hands (Turning crankshafts) 

Abilityto read blue-prints and Dependableness 

use micrometer Mechanical ability 

Accuracy Skill from long training 



Crane Operators (15 

Quick thought 

Quick action 

Keen observation 

Quick perception 

Decisiveness 

Medium degree of carefulness 

Ability to judge accurately 

Size 

Weight 

Distance 



ton electric crane) 

Good sense of locality 
Good sense of direction 
Some mechanical skill 
Excellent eyesight 
Steady nerves 
Good muscular coordination 

Energy 
Dependablenesss 
Obedience 



74 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

Note Teller 



Medium build 
Digital skill 
Carefulness 
Prudence 
Accuracy- 
Keen observation 
Concentration 



Patience 

Mathematical ability 

Neatness 

Orderliness 

System 

Good memory 

Judgment 



EXPERTNESS IN SELECTION 

With these analyses before them, the assistants in 
the employment department soon become so ex- 
pert that they quickly choose the best man for any 
particular job out of the available applicants. 

In one employment department two of the 
assistants became expert in teamwork, as exem- 
plified by the following incident. One morning 
there were requisitions from foremen for: 

1 Man for assembly work 2 Labourers for casting yard 



1 Boring mill hand 

1 Carpenter 

2 Chippers 

1 Crane operator 
1 Drill press hand 
1 Grinder 



1 Engine lathe hand 

1 Milling machine hand 

2 Bench moulders 

1 Patternmaker 

2 Teamsters 
1 Toolmaker 



Taking the list, one of the assistants stepped 
out into the lobby and, walking quickly through 
the hundred or more men gathered there, chose 
the men wanted, one by one. 



THE JOB 75 

As the men were chosen they went into the shop 
employment oflSce, where they were met by the 
other assistant, who had a duphcate Hst. In every 
case the assistant in the oflSce knew for which posi- 
tion each man had been chosen by his team-mate. 



CHAPTER VI 

SECURING AND HANDLING APPLICANTS 

THERE is only one legitimate reason for 
putting any man on the pay-roll. That 
is not because he is a brother-in-law, or 
nephew, not because he is a Roman Catholic or a 
Protestant, not because he is a Scotchman or a 
German, not because he is a Mason or an Elk, not 
because he tells a hard-luck story or is an adept 
at flattery, not because he has a sheaf of letters of 
recommendation, not even because he has made a 
remarkable record in some other institution. 

The only legitimate reason for hiring a man is that 
he possesses the standard qualifications for his job, 
and will be a good investment for his employer. 

Many of those entrusted with the employing of 
help do not seem to understand that the company 
is investing money in every applicant from the 
first moment spent in considering his application. 
They do not seem to realize that the company must 
secure an adequate return from its investment in 
order to do a profitable business. 

We have seen foremen and heads of departments 

76 



SECURING APPLICANTS 77 

spend hours and days of time interviewing impos- 
sible applicants whom they had no intention of hir- 
ing. Why they did it is one of the things which, 
as the old comic song used to say, "cannot be ex- 
plained," at least upon any basis that gives the re- 
cruiting officer credit for having common sense. 

One of the most difficult problems of conscien- 
tious employers under the old method is to persuade 
foremen and heads of departments not to hire peo- 
ple simply because they are sorry for them. 

FITNESS ONLY LEGITIMATE REASON FOR HIRING 

It is an injustice, not only to the employer but to 
the employee, to give a man a job in which he can- 
not make a profit for the house. Even if the man is 
not eventually discharged, he is working under a 
severe handicap if he is trying to do work for which 
he is not fitted, and is also under a bad psychical 
strain, because if he is intelligent he must realize 
that he is to a certain extent an object of charity. 
It should therefore be deeply impressed upon the 
employment supervisor and his staff, and continu- 
ally reiterated, that no person must be hired who is 
not a profitable investment. Let this become a 
guiding axiom of the department. 

With the requirements of every department 
standardized, and with this axiom in mind, the em- 
ployment department sets about its task of secur- 



78 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

ing applicants, and from them selecting men to fit 
these requirements. 

Just as the wise purchasing agent looks ahead 
and takes steps to keep a plentiful reserve of ma- 
terial and equipment always on hand, so the wise 
employment supervisor takes steps to provide 
against the day of emergencies. It is just as waste- 
ful and inefficient to take chances on being able to 
pick up the right kind of employees to fill vacancies 
from day to day as it would be for a purchasing 
agent to purchase supplies and equipment for the 
factory in a hand-to-mouth fashion. 

There are many ways of securing applicants, most 
of them good if used with discretion. One of the 
rather unexpected advantages of scientific employ- 
ment methods has been the fact that ambitious 
workmen and executives of unusual ability have been 
attracted to organizations where employment is 
done scientifically. It is well known to observant 
employers and others that any organization which 
maintains a high standard of efficiency among its em- 
ployees naturally attracts a high order of applicants. 

Happy and loyal employees, with the interests of 
their employers at heart, frequently recommend 
candidates for employment whom they know to be 
desirable. Employment departments in different 
organizations sometimes help one another by an 
interchange of applicants. 



SECURING APPLICANTS 79 

Employment agencies are sometimes profitable 
sources of applicants if used with discrimination 
and discretion. They are especially valuable in 
securing applicants with the education and experi- 
ence required. 

ADVERTISING FOR APPLICANTS 

One of the most common ways of securing appli- 
cants is by advertising. Properly used, this method 
is one of the best. But this involves not only a 
thorough understanding of the requirements, but 
also the ability to state them in such a way as to 
secure the type of applicants wanted. An adver- 
tising manager of our acquaintance, not altogether 
unknown to the public, once advertised for an un- 
derstudy. His advertisement was so sensational 
and flamboyant, it went so wide of the mark in 
describing the qualities of the man he really wanted, 
that of the five hundred who responded not one was 
desirable for that particular job. 

Whatever the method of securing applicants, the 
employment department never loses sight of the 
fact already stated, that there is only one legitimate 
reason for putting a man on the pay-roll — namely, 
fitness for the job. 

Applications come into the employment depart- 
ment in two ways : by mail and in person. 

In handling applications by mail the first move 



80 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 



BLANK NO. 1 



REQUISITION 

Office 

Factory 

Store 



Original 



No.. 



EMPLOYMENT DEPAKTMENT 

Please employ for the Department 

One for Position No, 

Rate, 

To begin work, Date 191 

With these qualities : 



To replace 



Transferred to Dept. 
No longer employed. 
Promoted in this Department. 
Returned to you. 



To increase the forces. 
Permanent 

Temporary 
Date 191 



Superintendent 



o 






SECURING APPLICANTS 81 

is to weed out all that for any reason are on the face 
of them undesirable. A letter may show that the 
applicant has not had sufficient training or experi- 
ence, that he is ignorant or illiterate, that he is care- 
less and disorderly, that he is vain and boastful, 
that he is too well satisfied with himself to be teach- 
able. If undesirable and uneradicable qualities 
are easily discernible in the letter, there is no use 
wasting any further time with the applicant, and 
if he has applied directly to the firm, and not to a 
keyed advertisement, he is courteously informed 
that his application cannot be considered. But 
should his application give reason to hope that he 
may be a valuable asset, he is requested to send 
photographs of himself and such other data as 
under the circumstances seem desirable. If the 
position to be filled is an important one, such 
applicants as are considered are asked to describe 
themselves as fully as possible, and to answer such 
questions as the employment supervisor may re- 
quest. 

- It frequently happens that among those who 
are asked to send in more information about 
themselves a man is found who is clearly so well 
fitted for the position that he is engaged for it by 
mail; otherwise the most promising applicants are 
invited to call at the employment department in 
person. 



82 



THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 



BLANK NO, 2 

APPLICATION FOR POSITION 

(No person under sixteen years of age will be employed) 



Address, Local_ 
Nationality 



.City. 



-Telephone No 

State. 



Date of Birth; month. 



Religion 

-day year_ 



What Union 

-Height Weight. 



If under 21 years of age, give father's name and address 

Single or married? How many dependent on you for support'. 

Ever employed here? Under what foreman? What Dept.?_ 

Permanent 

Temporary? 

Salary expected?. 



ition wanted?. 



When would your services be available? 

Names of relatives employed here and their positions. 



Whom shall we notify in case of emergency? Name. 
Address 



Please check the following list as accurately as possible as to whether you are: 



Careful? 

Courteous? 

Punctual? - 

Accurate? 

Industrious? 

Sober? 



Careless? 

Discourteous? 

Tardy? 

Inaccurate? 

Lazy? 

Intemperate? 



Good Memory? 

Obedient? 

Orderly? 

Cheerful? 

Patient' 

Quick? 



Forgetful' 

Disobedient? 

Disorderly? 

Gloomy? 

Impatient' 

Slow? 



PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT AND REFERENCES 


EMPLOYER 


POSITION 
HELD 


Gi\e Exact Dates of Employ- 
ment as to month and year 


State Salary and Reasons 
for Leaving 



















































In consideration of employment hereby sought, I represent and warrant my 
age and all above and herein contained statements true, and agree to at all 
times abide by and observe all notices, rules, and regulations of my employer. 



Date. 



Signed. 



SECURING APPLICANTS 83 



What foreign language do you speak or understand?. 



How much time have you lost by sickness during the last five years? . 
What was the nature of your 
In what places have you lived? . 



What position do you now hold?. 
Why do you wish to leave? 



What education and training have you had? General?. 



In school what studies did you like best?. 
What least' 



What do you read? What kind of work do you 

like best' 



If you could have any position you wished for, what would it be?. 



What if anything, are you doing to improve yourself?. 



Can you manage people well? State the evidence?. 



84 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

HANDLING APPLICANTS IN PERSON 

In dealing with all applicants in person the em- 
ployment supervisor and his staff follow a definite 
procedure. Suppose for the moment that you are 
an applicant for a position in an organization where 
there is an employment department using this 
plan. If it is the busy season, you are quite likely 
to find the lobby or waiting-room comfortably 
filled with applicants waiting to see the employ- 
ment supervisor or his assistants. 

When your turn for an interview comes you are 
courteously greeted, given a comfortable chair fac- 
ing the interviewer, and made to feel that you are in 
the presence of a friend who is just as desirous of 
doing his best for you as for his employer. You 
are engaged in pleasant, interesting conversation 
until you lose any self-consciousness you may have 
had when you entered the office, and are perfectly 
at ease. Then you are probably asked for what 
position you are an applicant, and the examiner 
discusses with you quietly your qualifications for 
the job. In due course of time, if this brief survey 
seems favourable, you are asked to fill out an ap- 
plication blank (see page 82) . 

During the time you are talking and filling out 
this blank, the interviewer is quietly and unobtru- 
sively observing you and making mental notes of 
what he sees. He may or may not know your 



SECURING APPLICANTS 85 

name. He does not know what you are writing. 
But from external signs and indications which you 
cannot conceal he is learning something about your 
natural aptitudes, about your character, and about 
the use you have made of the talents with which 
nature has endowed you. In making these notes he 
uses Blank No. 3, Analysis (see page 86). 

This blank is filled out in cipher so that it is unin- 
telligible to any except the employment supervisor 
and his staff. In general, it is a complete but con- 
cise statement of your physical, mental, and psychi- 
cal characteristics and aptitudes, your training and 
your experience. 

When you have filled the face of your application 
blank, you turn it over to the interviewer, who talks 
with you about the questions on its reverse side 
(see page 83). These questions are so woven into 
the conversation between you and your interviewer 
that you do not have any feeling of being grilled or 
pumped. Your feeling is rather that you are being 
given an opportunity to state your qualifications, 
kindly counselled with regard to how your state- 
ments can be put in the most effective form, and 
advised how you can use your talents to your own 
highest advantage. 

LETTERS AND REFERENCES 

Perhaps you have brought letters of recommenda- 



THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

BLANK NO. 3 

ANALYSIS 



Name Personal 

Address Photo 

Hair Eyes Texture. 

rnlniiri-Ti«T-Eyes Nose Motive. 

Colouring. ^^.^ Form: ^^^^^ g^j^ . ^^^^^^_ 

Beard Chin Vital 



Condition 



High Flexible — 

Low Rigid 

Long Hard 

„ , Short „ ^ Soft , ^ ,, Capacity. 

Head: Narrow_ Hand: gj^^^^ ^Intellect: 

Wide Medium_ "^^P^ 

Square Long 

Round 

Energy Vitahty Endurance 

Health Dress 



CONCLUSIONS: 

Positives Negatives 



RECOMMENDATIONS 



Date (Signed). 



SECURING APPLICANTS 87 

tion with you. If so, you will find your interviewer 
courteous about them but not greatly interested. 
Of course, you believe that your letters are sincere, 
and your former employers and others have written 
truthfully about you. But the examiner knows by 
experience that the less efficient and less desirable 
an employee is the more eager is the average em- 
ployer to get rid of him by giving him a hearty 
letter of recommendation to some one else. 

We once knew a manager who practically 
wrecked one department of the business of a client 
of ours within the short space of three months. 
This manager had come to our client from a friend 
of his in the same line of business, bearing a most 
enthusiastic letter of recommendation. 

"What on earth did you wish that man on me 
for? " demanded our client of his friend when he had 
cleared away the debris. " He did absolutely noth- 
ing while he was with me but spend money fool- 
ishly." 

"He did the same for me," admitted the friend, 
with a grin, "but I thought maybe you could con- 
trol him." 

The finest collection of letters of recommenda- 
tion we ever saw was in the hands of a futile old 
printer who had been discharged from every print- 
ing house of any repute in the Middle West. 

Instead of letters of recommendation you may 



88 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 



Record of. 



DATE FOREMAN DEPT. 



SECURING APPLICANTS 89 

give your interviewer references, asking him to 
write to your former employers, your banker, your 
pastor, and others. You are perfectly justified in 
making the offer, since these inquiries, with a prom- 
ise to hold all correspondence strictly confiden- 
tial, are very much in favour with some employers. 
But your interviewer will waste no time or postage 
in sending out any such inquiries. He is not inter- 
ested in other people's opinion of you. He knows 
that the average employer, even if he were to state 
his honest convictions, would be guided by his own 
personal feelings and opinions or purely by guess- 
work, and not by reliable records of your per- 
formances. He would, therefore, far rather trust 
easily observable and infallibly dependable exter- 
nal signs of your character and habits than to take 
the word of a man who might or might not be sin- 
cere, and who, if he were sincere, might be utterly 
mistaken. 

REQUISITION 

Your qualifications being satisfactory to the in- 
terviewer, and there being a Requisition — Blank 
No. 1 (see page 80) ■ — in his hands from some fore- 
man* or head of department for an employee of your 

* The word "foreman" is used in this and all other blanks here repro- 
duced to designate the immediate superior of the applicant or employee. 
Naturally, in stores, offices, banks and other enterprises other designations 
will be used as circumstances require. 



90 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 



BLANK NO. 4 

Original 
REFERENCE TO FOREMAN 



Mr Clock No.. 

to see Mr 

Department for position No 

Rate Began Work, Date 



EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT 

He is not satisfactory* 
Reason why applicant is not satisfactory: 

Signed 



*Note — If the applicant IS satisfactory, cross out the word "not." 
Date 191 



SECURING APPLICANTS 91 

type, he carefully explains to you the nature of the 
position vacant, the rate of pay offered, the kind of 
work to be done, the general and special qualifi- 
cations necessary for success in the position, the 
hours of labour, the rules, regulations, standards, 
and ideals under which you will perform your work, 
and, if advisable, the character of your superior, and 
how best to please him. 

REFERENCE TO FOREMAN 

If after this explanation you decide to accept the 
position, the examiner fills out Blank No. 4, Refer- 
ence to Foreman (see page 90), places it in an un- 
sealed envelope and sends you, with an usher if 
necessary, to the executive named. Since it is not 
the function of the employment department arbi- 
trarily to employ, you are sent to the foreman or 
department head for mutual acquaintance and ap- 
proval. If the executive finds you satisfactory, 
he shows you the place where you are to work, the 
desk or bench, appliances, equipment, and tools 
you are to use, and all of the other physical envir- 
onment of the position offered you. In case this 
inspection proves satisfactory to you and to the 
executive, he notifies you when to report for duty, 
and returns Blank No. 4 to the employment depart- 
ment, properly filled out, when you have begun 
work. In case either you or the executive should 



92 



THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 



BLANK NO, 


5 


Original 
NOTIFICATION 




Office 

Factory 

Store 




paymaster's department: 




TEnter on pay-roll 

I^Pay oflf and remove from pay-roll 








AHHrpfis 


Pnsitinn 




r.lnnlc Nn 






T?ate 


Tn Pnsi'tmn 




Npw Cloolc Nn. 


fn ■RppartrnPTit 




Npw RfltP 


Eflfective (Date) 




Hour |:S: 




Employment Supervisor 


Date 191 


- 





SECURING APPLICANTS 93 

not be satisfied with the arrangement, he returns 
the blank to the employment department as soon 
as possibl< , stating reasons. If you elect to return 
to the department for further consultation, you 
may be sent to some other executive — if there is a 
requisition on hand for some o'^.e of your aptitudes, 
training, and character. If there is no such requi- 
sition, your application blank and analysis are 
placed on file in the reserve list and you are com- 
municated with as soon as a requisition fitting your 
case is received from a foreman or department head. 

NOTIFICATION 

Let us suppose that you are engaged and begin 
work. As soon as the employment department 
receives Blank No. 4, giving the rate of your pay 
and the time you began work. Blank No. 5, Noti- 
fication (see page 92), is filled out and sent to 
the paymaster's department. You will observe 
that this blank is so arranged as to be used also in 
case you receive an increase or any other change 
in your rate of pay, are transferred to another 
position or department, or, for any reason, you 
resign or are discharged. 

FOLDER 

When once you have become an employee of the 
institution a folder (see page 94) is filled out for 



94 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 











..„...„ 1 








1 


APPLICATION 


NIRCp 


DIPT 


POSITION 


HATC 


^lUNtF'O 


■ATE COD 


PAIO,.^ .«,ON 





















































































































































































































































SECURING APPLICANTS 9d 

you and placed in the Employees' File. In this 
folder are included all correspondence with you, all 
the blanks filled out with reference to your employ- 
ment, and other memoranda of any kind that may 
be of value. In this folder, among other documents 
is the Analysis Blank, Form 3 (see page 86) 
filled out by the interviewer at the time of your 
original application. 

RECORD 

On the reverse of this blank is space for your 
record in the organization (see page 88). On this 
record, at stated times, according to the character 
of the business and the position you occupy, are 
entered data, giving essential information as to 
your eflSciency and progress. How your efficiency 
will be calculated will depend upon the practice of 
the firm and the work you are doing. If a bonus 
system is in operation, your efficiency will be re- 
ported in percentages. If you are a salesman, your 
efficiency will be calculated in terms of sales, prof- 
its, collections, etc. 

REPORT ON EMPLOYEE 

Partly for the sake of keeping this record of your 
performance and partly for the purpose of keeping 
check upon foremen or department heads. Blank 
No. 6, Report on Employee (see page 96), is 



96 



THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 



BLANK NO. 6 

REPORT ON EMPLOYEE 

Office 

Factory 

Store 



Original 



Name 

Clock No 

Kind of work. 
Deportment_ 



.Dept. 



-Position No.. 



Special ability shown. 



POSITIVES SHOWN 

Carefulness Orderliness 
Punctuality Cheerfulness 
Accuracy Patience 

Industry Sobriety 

Good memory Dependability 
Obedience Quickness 



NEGATIVES SHOWN 



Carelessness 

Tardiness 

Inaccuracy 

Laziness 

Forgetfulness 

Disobedience 



Disorderllness 

Gloominess 

Impatience 

Intemperance 

Undependability 

Slowness 



With reference to this man I recommend: 



Returned to you, Date_ 
Reason 



All tools, tool checks and other articles loaned No.. 

have been returned. 
Tool Stock Room No By 



Storekeeper 



Signed. 



Rate approved by 

Date 191. 



Superintendent 



SECURING APPLICANTS 97 

used. This blank is filled out by the foreman and 
sent to the employment department whenever he 
desires to change your rate of pay, promote you or 
change your position in his department, transfer 
you to another department, accept your resignation, 
or end your service with him. The employment 
supervisor may call for such a report at any time, 
but, as already intimated, he does not rely wholly 
upon it in keeping the record shown on page 88. 
The data entered in this record are obtained by dif- 
ferent methods, according to the character of the 
business and the system of rating employees in use. 

This Report on Employee has been found to be 
of great value indirectly. When an executive is 
called upon to fill out such a report in connection 
with every change he desires to make in his depart- 
ment, and to state in definite terms his reasons for 
making the change, he uses more judgment and 
common sense and is less impulsive. Oftentimes 
foremen and other executives are either lazy, indif- 
ferent, or contemptuous, and therefore flippant in 
filling out these reports. A little experience, how- 
ever, soon changes their mental attitude. One inci- 
dent may illustrate this : 

A foreman, being asked to send in Report on 
Employee for each man in his department, did so, 
with ninety -nine out of one hundred and four men 
checked as showing every one of the positives in the 



98 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 



BLANK NO. 7 

RECOMMENDATION 



Kindly fill out this blank with information about some one 
who you think would be desirable for us to employ. 

Name 



Address. 



Why is he desirable?. 
How do you know?_ 



What kind of work can he do?_ 



Is he now employed? Where?. 



How old is he? What rate of pay would he expect?- 

Married? Single? How many to support?. 

Nationality? Religion? What union?. 

What is his relation to you? 



Is he related to any member of your family? If 

what is the relationship? 



Signed. 



Department 

Date 191 



SECURING APPLICANTS 99 

list. Five only were checked with any negative, 
and each one of the five was reported as showing 
"gloominess." Within a week after these reports 
had been received, one of the men in this foreman's 
department came to the employment supervisor 
with a report on which every negative was checked, 
with immediate discharge recommended. The fore- 
man was sent for, and his attention was called 
to the fact that he had sent in two reports on this 
man within a week; that in the first report the man 
was credited with having all the positives in the 
list and in the second was charged with being guilty 
of all the negatives in the list. While this one ex- 
perience did not then and there make a new man 
of the foreman, it was the beginning of his reform, 
and within a few weeks he was taking care and pains 
in making his reports. 

RECOMMENDATION 

As has already been stated, loyal and happy em- 
ployees frequently recommend for employment 
friends and acquaintances whom they know to be 
efficient. For their convenience they are supplied 
with Blank No. 7, Recommendation (see page 98). 
These recommendations are filled out and either 
handed or sent to the employment department, 
where they are acted upon according to the discre- 
tion of the supervisor. 



100 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

Every time the employment department is called 
upon to deal with you in any important matter, 
your folder, with all its contents, is taken out of file 
and placed before the person who is handling the 
case. As you have seen, it contains, in compact 
form, all of the information in the hands of the de- 
partment with reference to you and your relation- 
ship with the organization. Not only this, but in 
the folder is your analysis, made by some member 
of the department, and on the back of it your sub- 
sequent record. Here is an effective check upon the 
accuracy and reliability of analyses made in the 
department. 

THE SPIRIT, NOT THE FORM, OF THE PLAN 
IMPORTANT 

The blanks reproduced here are those used in a 
factory with several thousand employees. They 
are intended to be elastic enough in every respect 
to cover the handling of applicants and employees 
from the highest grade to the lowest. Their use, 
therefore, is not subject to rigid and ironclad rules, 
but to the common sense and good judgment of 
those who use them. 

For example, in the use of Blank No. 2, Appli- 
cation, no intelligent interviewer would expect an 
ignorant man, perhaps unable to read, write, or 
speak the English language, applying for a tempo- 



SECURING APPLICANTS 101 

rary job as shoveller in the yard gang, to fill out all 
or even any of the spaces. Nor would there be 
any very extensive use of Blank No. 3, Analysis, 
in such a case. The higher the position to be filled, 
the more numerous and the more specific are the 
requirements, and the more completely and care- 
fully are all of these blanks filled out. Necessa- 
rily, there are certain minor changes in detail in 
these blanks when they are used in other concerns. 
These changes will depend upon the character of 
the business, the policies and standards adopted 
by the management, and other considerations. 
The details are relatively unimportant. The spirit 
and purpose of the plan are all-important. In order 
that the reason and use of these blanks may be 
clearly understood, we summarize: 

SUMMAEY OF BLANKS 

Blank No. 1, Requisition (see page 80), is an 
order upon the employment department by some 
executive in the organization for an employee to 
fill a certain position. 

Blank No. 2, Application for Position (see page 
82), is an application for position with spaces for 
the voluntary giving of certain information by the 
applicant. The reverse of this blank (see page 83) 
gives the interviewer suggestions for the examina- 
tion of the applicant. 



102 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

Blank No. 3, Analysis (see page 86), contains 
in cipher the complete and digested result of the 
observations made upon the applicant by the inter- 
viewer. The reverse of this blank (see page 88) is 
for a record of the applicant's performances after 
he has become an employee. 

Blank No. 4, Reference to Foreman (see page 90), 
serves a double purpose. It is a letter of intro- 
duction presenting an applicant accepted by the 
employment department to the superior executive 
to whom he is recommended for employment. It 
also serves to carry the report of the executive upon 
the result of the applicant's call. 

Blank No. 5, Notification (see page 92), notifies 
the paymaster's department of the hiring of a new 
employee or any change in rate, transfer, promotion, 
or removal of an employee. 

Blank No. 6, Report on Employee (see page 96), 
serves several purposes : gives an executive's report 
upon an employee; recommends an increase in pay, 
promotion, transfer, or removal of an employee; 
gives reason for such action, and definitely closes 
the relations of the employee with the institution 's 
tool, stock, or supply department; also serves as a 
check upon doings of executives. 

Blank No. 7, Recommendation (see page 98), 
gives an opportunity for employees to notify the 
organization of desirable candidates for positions. 



SECURING APPLICANTS 103 

In a very small organization not all of these blanks 
are necessary. In a very large organization where 
there are many complications of relationship with 
employees, perhaps other blanks may be needed. 

*'The letter killeth; the spirit maketh alive." 



CHAPTER VII 

ANALYZING THE MAN 
HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENT 

WHEN a man suffers from tonsillitis he has 
an infection and inflammation of a part of 
the throat whose reason for existence was 
until recently a mystery. He can derive a certain 
amount of interest, if not consolation, from the 
fact that he inherited his troublesome tonsils from 
remote ancestors. Ages ago his forebears swam 
in the warm, salt waters of the young earth. Nat- 
urally, they were equipped with gills. These old 
worthies transmitted their gills to him, but in being 
handed down from generation to generation the 
legacy has been so modified by conditions that 
all he has left of it are his ears, Eustachian tubes, 
and these inflammable tonsils. This same man, 
when a schoolboy, probably braved drowning and 
suffered many a whipping because of his love for 
the old swimming hole. Perhaps this trait of his 
character was also an inheritance from his remote 
aquatic ancestors. 

The researches of science into the evolution of 

104 



ANALYZING THE MAJM 105 

man — and of each part and organ of his body — 
have resulted in a far better understanding of his 
anatomy and physiology. In a similar way, a 
study of the evolution of the human mind and its 
activities has given us a far better understanding 
than ever before of human psychology. 

Just as the tonsils, the Eustachian tubes, and the 
ears in present-day man are relics of gills, so there 
are in every other part of the body interesting and 
significant relics of other stages in the evolution 
of the race. Just as the passion of the average 
small boy for the water is perhaps an inheritance 
from ancestors whose home was in the sea, so in- 
numerable other traits in human beings as we 
know them to-day are inheritances from ancestors 
of cruder forms. 

According to the law of the survival of the fit- 
test, individuals having physical and mental traits 
enabling them to live with the greatest degree of 
adaptation to their environment, tend to survive 
longest, and therefore to reproduce themselves in 
the largest number of offspring inheriting these 
same physical and mental traits. 

EVOLUTION OF PHYSICAL AND PSYCHICAL TRAITS 

The prehistoric antelope, whose ears could de- 
tect the slightest movement in the underbrush, 
heard the tiger crouching for a spring and fled. 



106 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

He became the parent of offspring who inherited 
his excellent hearing. The antelope whose hearing 
was duller failed to hear the approach of his enemy, 
and perished before mating. Thus was evolved 
the keenly sensitive hearing of the antelope. 

Since these same selective processes operated 
in the evolution of man, it has come about that 
every bone, every muscle, every nerve, every fea- 
ture of the body, as well as the general physical 
conformation, colour, texture, and consistency, are 
the result of this ages-long process of selection and 
survival. 

This law of the survival of the fittest applies also 
to the survival of mental and physical traits. For 
example, in a certain environment that individual 
who had the greatest courage would survive and 
reproduce courageous offspring. In another en- 
vironment that individual who had the greatest 
caution would survive and transmit his cautious 
soul to his posterity. And so each of our intel- 
lectual and emotional characteristics is the result 
of this same process of variation, selection, and sur- 
vival, covering a period of unknown ages. 

In short, there is no aptitude, trait, or character- 
istic in man which is accidental. The size, shape, 
proportion, colour, texture, consistency, and condi- 
tion of every part, every organ, every feature of his 
body, as well as every little twist and turn of his 



ANALYZING THE MAN 107 

mental abilities, his morals, and his disposition, are 
the result of heredity and environment of his an- 
cestors extending back into antiquity for uncounted 
ages, plus his own environment and experiences. 
The significant truth in this is that both physical 
and psychical natures of man are the result of this 
process of evolution, and that the evolution of one 
has been coincident and synchronous with the evolu- 
tion of the other. 

MUTUAL AND RECIPROCAL INFLUENCE OF BODY 
AND MIND 

A few other facts, taken in connection with this 
one, are also important. The intimate relation 
between thought and feeling and the body is well 
known to every one who has given his own experi- 
ences a moment's consideration. From the stand- 
point of science this relationship is so marked that 
there are many careful investigators who hold to 
the theory that both thought and feeling are merely 
physical states and activities. Whether we ac- 
cept this extreme view or not, we must agree with 
the more moderate statement that every mental 
and psychical state and activity is accompanied 
by its particular physical reaction. 

Prof. George Trumbull Ladd, of Yale, says: "All 
facts too obviously impress upon us the conclusion, 
how pervasive, intimate, varied, and profound are 



108 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

the mutual relations — the correlations — of the 
physical mechanism and the phenomena of con- 
sciousness."* 

This is especially true of the emotions. So 
marked are the physical accompaniments of emo- 
tion that many different forms of emotion can be 
either induced, aggravated, or subdued by volun- 
tary production or inhibition of their accompanying 
physical states and activities. Says Prof. William 
James: "The general causes of the emotions are 
indubitably physiological."! 

We therefore have the physical and the mental 
and psychical evolution of man not only progress- 
ing hand in hand over many centuries, but pro- 
foundly affecting each other every step of the way. 
Every thought has its accompanying vibration in 
the brain cells. Every emotion, however faint 
and transient, has its expression in some kind of 
muscular action and organic reaction. Prevailing 
modes and directions of thought have given per- 
manent arrangement and development to the brain 
cells and to other parts of the body. Prevailing 
states of emotion have actually built up or torn 
down certain parts of the body, and have given 
permanent form and expression to other parts. 
Certain thoughts and feelings have operated to 

*Elemeiits of Physiological Psychology, page 582. 
fThe Principles of Psychology, Vol. II, page 448. ; 



ANALYZING THE MAN 109 

take men into certain kinds of environment. These 
different kinds of environment, in their turn, have 
left their indeHble marks upon the body, the minds, 
and hearts of all who dwelt and worked in their 
midst. For example, thoughts and feelings of 
weariness with routine, of aggressiveness and cour- 
age, of longing for new scenes, new achievements, 
have in all the ages driven both animals and men 
into the frontiers of their habitable worlds. Fur- 
thermore, frontier life, with its activities, its hard- 
ships, its perils, its peculiar forms of nourishment, 
clothing, and shelter, has had its effect not only 
upon the mental and psychical characteristics of 
animals and men, but upon their physical structure 
and appearance. 

THEORY OF PSYCHOPHYSICAL CORRESPONDENCE 

On the other hand, feelings of prudence, love of 
routine, established customs, attachment to famil- 
iar scenes and familiar faces, love of ease, love of 
comfort, certainty of nourishment and shelter no 
matter how meagre, have influenced both animals 
and men to remain in the serene, protected, salu- 
brious, mild environment of the cradles of life. 
In turn, this environment has reacts ^ upon them 
and has left the indelible traces of its influence not 
only upon their characters but upon their bodies. 
Many other examples of similar import might be 



110 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

cited in support of the theory that there is a constant 
correspondence between the mental and psychical 
characteristics of any individual and his physical 
characteristics. 

This theory is stated by Prof. J. Mark Bald- 
win in "Development and Evolution," pages 25, 
26, 29, as follows: *' Furthermore, we may say 
that no physical character which has mental 
correlations is completely understood until these 
latter are exhaustively determined, and also that 
no mental character escapes physical correlation. 
Recent research in the psychological and phys- 
iological laboratories is establishing many such 
psychophysical correlations: that of emotion with 
motor processes; of attention, rhythm, and the 
time sense with vasomotor changes; that of mental 
work with nervous fatigue, etc., through all the 
main problems of this department. All this af- 
fords, in so far, at once illustration and proof of 
the general formula of psychophysical parallelism. 
. . . It has been the psychophysical, not the 
physical alone nor the mental alone, which has been 
the unit of selection in the main trend of evolution, 
and Nature has done what we are now urging the 
science of evolution to do — she has carried for- 
ward the two series together, thus producing a 
single genetic movement. . . . The fact of 
correlated variation, moreover, is to be carried 



- ANALYZING THE MAN 111 

over to tlie relation between organic and mental 
variations in different individuals. Many instances 
are known which prove it; that they are not more 
numerous is due, I think, to the neglect of recogni- 
tion of it in seeking genetic explanations." This 
theory is now almost universally accepted by 
scientists, but in many different modifications, with 
reference to its form and extent. 

EARLY ATTEMPTS AT CHARACTER INTERPRETATION 

Thinkers and investigators of very early times 
either assumed or suspected the truth of psycho- 
physical correspondence. It was because of this 
assumption or belief in the correspondence be- 
tween character and physical appearance that men 
began to try to read the character of their fellows 
in their faces, heads, hands, and bodies generally, 
from the earliest times known to history. That 
one's occupation stamps its impress on the outward 
expression was observed and recorded by an Egyp- 
tian scribe of the twelfth dynasty, about 2600 B. C. 
This papyrus is now in the British Museum. Aris- 
totle was a devoted student of physiognomy and 
compared the features and dispositions of men and 
animals 350 B. C. Hippocrates, known as the 
Father of Medicine, 460 B. C, refers to the influ- 
ence of environment in determining disposition, and 
of the reaction of these on the features. Classic 



112 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

literature from Homer down to the present time is 
full of expressions indicating at least a partial ac- 
ceptance of this theory. 

The high brows and lean cheeks of the thinker 
and scholar; the high, large nose of courage and ag- 
gressiveness; the thick neck and fleshy lips of sen- 
suality; the thin lips and cold eye of cruelty; the 
round face and full figure of good nature; the dark 
eyes, hair, and skin of revenge; the keen, sharp 
face of the scold; and the broad, flat face of phleg- 
matism are as familiar in literature as they are in 
everyday life. 

SIFTING THE EVIDENCE VERIFYING TRUTH 

Ever since these early days there have been at- 
tempts at character reading. Many different ave- 
nues of approach to the subject have been opened 
up: some by sincere and earnest men of scientific 
minds and scholarly attainments; some by sincere 
and earnest but unscientific laymen; and some by 
mountebanks and charlatans. As the result of all 
this study, research, and empiricism, a great mass 
of alleged facts about physical characteristics in 
man and their corresponding mental and psychical 
characteristics has accumulated. When we began 
our research more than fifteen years ago, we found 
a very considerable library covering every phase 
of character interpretation, both scientific and un- 



ANALYZING THE MAN 113 

scientific. A great deal has been added since that 
time. Much of this Hterature is pseudo-scientific, 
and some of it is pure quackery. But careful and 
detailed observations upon more than 12,000 in- 
dividuals, with the use of exact measurements and 
uniform records, have demonstrated conclusively 
that many of the conclusions of early workers in 
this difficult field are substantially correct. This 
investigation has established many other definite 
psychophysical correspondences. All of these cor- 
respondences, still further verified by observations 
in groups upon more than one hundred thousand 
individuals in the United States and eighteen 
foreign countries, correlated, classified, and reduced 
to a comparatively few laws, form a scientific basis 
for the analysis of men to determine their fitness 
for their work and environment. 

In the very nature of the case, this science of 
character analysis by the observational method 
cannot be a science in the same sense in which chem- 
istry and mathematics are sciences. So far our 
studies and experiences do not lead us to expect 
that it ever can become absolute and exact. Hu- 
man nature is complicated by too many variables 
and obscured by too much that is elusive and in- 
tangible. We cannot put a man on the scales and 
determine that he has so many milligrams of com- 
mon sense or apply the micrometer to him and 



114 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

say that he has so many miUimetres of financial 
abiHty. Human traits and human values are 
relative and can be determined and stated only 
relatively. 

On the other hand, inasmuch as it is organized 
and classified knowledge, the system of character 
analysis upon which judgment of the man in our 
employment plan is based is entitled to be called a 
science. It is a science in the same sense in which 
horticulture, agriculture, etc., are sciences. While 
the knowledge upon which it is based can never be 
mathematically exact, it is fundamentally sound 
from the standpoint of evolution, heredity, environ- 
ment, biology, physiology, and psychology, and 
has been verified by thousands of careful observa- 
tions. 



CHAPTER VIII 

ANALYZING THE MAN 
NINE FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICAL VARIABLES 

IF THERE were an absolutely reliable method 
of interpreting human character by the lines 
on the palms of a man 's hands, or the bumps 
under the hair of his head, it would be of compara- 
tively little value in the ordinary interests and ac- 
tivities of life. If by elaborate tests, with special 
instruments, one could learn all about the aptitudes 
and character of a willing subject, the method 
would be almost as valueless for practical use. We 
meet and deal with people under conditions which 
would make it impossible either to examine the 
palms of their hands or the bumps on their heads or 
to subject them to psychological tests. The most 
important relationships with other people oftentimes 
occur when one must observe them at a distance, 
and perhaps for but a few moments, when they are 
wearing hats and gloves, when perhaps the light 
may be poor, and under other conditions which 
will enable one to make only the most general ob- 
servations. It therefore becomes necessary in 

115 



116 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

analyzing the man to enumerate and classify the 
most easily observable of his physical character- 
istics, which give a key to his physical, mental, and 
psychical aptitudes and character. 

VARIABLES DEFINED 

All normal men are alike in most of their physical 
characteristics. They have the same number of 
bones and muscles, parts and organs; the same 
number and general arrangement of features. 
They differ from one another in other ways. One 
man is light; another is dark. One man is tall; 
another is short. One man is sharp-featured; an- 
other is broad-, flat-faced. One man is coarse, 
heavy, and crude; another delicate and refined. 
Colour, size, form, and texture are some of the 
physical attributes in which men differ or vary from 
one another. We may therefore call these attributes 
variables. It is in these physical variables and the 
variations in character which accompany them that 
we find a scientific basis for analyzing the man. 

In the study of these variables, research and in- 
vestigation are undertaken to find answers to such 
questions as these, for example: Why do men 
vary in colour? What are the hereditary and en- 
vironmental causes of their variation? Would 
these same causes and others associated with them 
produce any variation in other physical attributes, 



ANALYZING THE MAN 117 

and in mental and psychical characteristics? What 
would these variations be? In studying men of 
different colour, do we actually find such variations 
in character? In the same way, analysis is made 
of the causes of other variations, and the effects of 
these causes upon character. 

After a great deal of study and experimentation 
we finally determined upon nine physical variables 
as fundamentals, and as affording ample data for 
the analysis of human character in employment 
work. These are: (1) Colour, (2) Form, (3) Size, 
(4) Structure, (5) Texture, (6) Consistency, (7) 
Proportion, (8) Expression, (9) Condition. 

It is not only impossible to present completely 
and in detail in a work of this nature the entire 
science of character analysis by the observational 
method, but instruction in this science is not the 
function of the present volume. A brief consider- 
ation of underlying principles, methods of applica- 
tion, and the usefulness of the science in employ- 
ment work will, however, not be amiss. We shall 
therefore treat each of these nine fundamental vari- 
ables, showing our method of approach and, in a 
brief outline, what their variations in the individual 
reveal. In our discussion of colour and form we 
enter at some length into the evolutionary causes 
of both physical and psychical variations. The 
other variables are treated more briefly. 



118 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

COLOUR 

In the paintings and pottery of ancient Egypt, 
Greece, Rome, and Spain, divinity, royalty, nobil- 
ity, and aristocracy are represented by white skin, 
blue eyes, and flaxen hair. Until very recently, 
most dolls had blue eyes and yellow hair, even in 
countries where their little mothers were as brown 
as berries. There are other interesting and signifi- 
cant evidences of an age-old feeling, amounting 
almost to instinct, that there are differences in 
character between blonds and brunettes as marked 
as their differences in colour. There is no variable 
among human beings so striking as that of colour, 
none so easily observable, and none which has made 
so strong an appeal to scientific investigators as 
well as to popular imagination. 

An inquiry into the biological causes of variations 
in human colour, into the mental and psychical 
causes accompanying these, and into the historical 
and prehistorical causes of the attitude toward 
blonds revealed in art, in literature, in the drama, 
and in popular speech, will aid us in understanding 
the many differences between blonds and brunettes. 

PIGMENTATION 

The immediate cause of the differences in colour 
among human beings is the relative amount of 
pigmentation in hair, skin, iris, and retina. Scien- 



ANALYZING THE MAN 119 

lists have long been at work striving to discover 
the cause of pigmentation, and especially the cause 
for variation in the amount of pigmentation. In 
general, it is well known that dark or heavily pig- 
mented races inhabit the tropics, and that lighter 
or less pigmented races inhabit the temperate and 
north temperate zones. 

For a long time scientists have worked upon a 
theory that heavy pigmentation, resulting in dark 
colour, helped the inhabitants of hot countries to 
keep cool. This was because of the known fact 
that dark bodies radiate heat more rapidly than 
light bodies. Of two pieces of iron of the same 
size and shape, one black and the other painted 
white, and both heated to the same temperature, 
the black one will cool off much more quickly than 
the white one. This is in accordance with the 
law of radiation. A diflficulty was met, however, 
when the law of absorption was taken into con- 
sideration. According to this law, dark bodies 
absorb heat from sources of higher temperature 
than themselves much more readily than light 
ones. If a black iron and a white iron are both^^ 
placed upon the same stove, the black one will 
heat up much more quickly than the white one. It jp-*^t^ 
is probable that both of these laws have some effect '^^^ * 
in determining the evolution of colour. It is well 
known that black people in the tropics keep in the 



120 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

shade as much as possible, and are very largely 
nocturnal in their habits. Comparatively few are 
seen abroad or at work during the hours just before, 
or just after, noon. Keeping in the darkness and 
shade, they make the most of their natural ability 
to radiate heat. By avoiding as far as possible 
exposing themselves to the direct rays of the sun, 
they absorb heat as little as possible. On the 
other hand, the lighter coloured races in the cold 
North could not absorb much even if they were 
black, and their slower rate of radiation enables 
them to conserve better the natural heat of their 
bodies. 

Negroes find great difficulty in keeping warm in 
cold climates. They require more clothing in cold 
weather than whites; prefer to keep indoors, and 
keep their quarters so hot that they seem stifling 
to white people. But the theory that the laws of ra- 
diation and absorption explain everything about pig- 
mentation, and that man's colour has been evolved 
wholly for the purpose of enabling him to adapt 
himself to the degree of temperature of his environ- 
ment, does not satisfy. The Eskimo, living in the 
cold Arctic regions, has black hair, gray or brown 
eyes, and a yellow or brown skin. Dwellers on the 
cold northern plains of Asia and North America 
are brown and yellow, while certain tribes in the 
heavily forested but hot, moist mountains of 



ANALYZING THE MAN 121 

northern Africa are blond. These considerations 
have led to a further study of the cause of pig- 
mentation. 

SUNLIGHT THE CAUSE OF PIGMENTATION 

In 1895, Josef Von Schmaedel read a paper be- 
fore the Anthropological Society of Munich, an- 
nouncing the theory that pigmentation in man was 
evolved for the purpose of excluding actinic or 
short rays of light which destroy living protoplasm. 
This set Major (now Lieutenant-Colonel, retired) 
Charles E. Woodruff, A. M., M. D., Surgeon U. S. 
Army, upon a systematic search for data to prove 
or disprove Von Schmaedel 's theory. In 1905, 
Major Woodruff pubhshed his book, "The Effects 
of Tropical Light on White Men."* In this fas- 
cinating work, Major W^oodruff champions the 
theory of Von Schmaedel and gives a great mass of 
data, gathered from many scientists, as well as the 
result of his own original research — all favourable 
to the correctness of the theory that the shorter 
violet and ultraviolet, actinic rays of light first 
stimulate, then exhaust, and finally destroy living 
protoplasm, and that pigmentation in both men 
and animals has been evolved for the purpose of 
excluding these actinic rays of sunlight from the 
tissues of the body. Sunburn, sunstroke, and the 

*Rebman Co., New York. 



im THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

dangerous burns of the X-ray, radium, and other 
sources of short rays, as well as the popularly 
known fact that sunlight kills bacteria, are all evi- 
dences of the destructive effect of actinic rays. 

Another evidence of the relationship between pig- 
mentation and sunlight, rather than sun's heat, 
is the fact that albinos — who are unpigmented — 
are excessively sensitive to light, while not any 
more sensitive to heat than others of the same race. 
According to this theory, also, the brunetteness of 
the Eskimo, the North American Indian, and the 
dweller in the northern part of Asia is explained. 
The Eskimo requires his pigmentation as a protec- 
tion against the blinding glare of snow and ice. 
The plains of northern Asia and North America, 
while cold, are also largely free from fog and cloud, 
so that considerable pigmentation is needed in these 
parts of the world as a protection against light. 
According to Dr. Carl Beck, blonds are far more 
liable to burns and lesions by X-rays than brunettes, 
the extreme brunette being almost immune.* 

BLOND AND BRUNETTE RACES 

Still further confirmation of this theory is found 
in the evolution of extreme blondness in north- 
western Europe, on the plains, and among the 
heavily forested mountains in the neighbourhood 

*New York Medical Record, January 13, 1900. 



ANALYZING THE MAN 123 

of the Baltic Sea. This is the cloudiest, foggiest, 
darkest region on the face of the earth, and is the 
cradle of the Scandinavian and Teutonic races, 
both of which are predominantly blond. Anthro- 
pologists violently differ as to the place where 
the blond or white races were evolved. Most of 
them, however, agree that primitive man was 
brunette and that blondness has been evolved as 
the result of either forced or voluntary migration 
of the primitive brunette to cold, dark, cloudy 
northwestern Europe. The climate of this part 
of Europe is rigorous and severe. 

At this point let us define our use of the terms 
blond and brunette. In popular usage a blond is a 
person of the white race with extremely light hair, 
blue eyes, and pink-and- white skin; a brunette a 
person of the white race with dark hair, brown eyes, 
and sallow or very light olive skin. As we use the 
terms here, all races of mankind are divided into 
two classes — those with white skins and those 
with dark skins. The albino is the most extreme 
blond; the black negro the most extreme brunette. 
Those fairer than halfway between the two are 
blond; those darker, brunette. According to this 
classification, most of those ordinarily called bru- 
nettes are blonds. They belong to "white" races. 
They manifest the characteristics of blonds in in- 
verse proportion to their degree of pigmentation. 



lU THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

EVOLUTION OF BLOND RACES 

The necessities of life in the harsh environment 
where blondness was evolved are more numerous 
and at the same time more difficult to obtain than 
in a milder one. Man requires more food, more 
shelter, more clothing, more fuel, than in a warm 
climate. Whereas fruits, vegetables, fish, flesh, 
and fov:l are comparatively easy to secure in warm 
latitude, , they are scarce, difficult to secure, and 
require much more preparation in the higher lati- 
tudes. Under Northern climatic conditions, then, 
only the largest, strongest, healthiest, most intel- 
ligent, most hopeful, most courageous, and most 
aggressive individuals would survive. The natural 
result would be the evolution of a race of men and 
women endowed with robust physical, mental, 
and psychical characteristics. Since the relatively 
abundant pigmentation of the primitive first set- 
tler in these dark countries was not needed as 
a protection against light, blondness was gradually 
evolved along with the characteristics just men- 
tioned. 

A process of evolution, therefore, having pro- 
duced a vigorous, aggressive blond race, conquerors 
of a harsh and severe environment, these qualities 
of the race sent them southward, eastward, and 
westward to become the conquerors and rulers 
of brunette races less aggressive, less bold, less 



ANALYZING THE MAN 125 

domineering, less vigorous, because their more 
kindly environment had not necessitated the evolu- 
tion of these rugged traits. Prehistoric evidence 
in abundance indicates that a conquering race of 
tall, vigorous, fair-haired, blue-eyed, white-skinned 
men migrated in successive waves over Europe, 
Asia Minor, northern Africa, Persia, India, Ceylon, 
Java, and perhaps as far east as the Philippine 
Islands. This race of men called theE.iselves 
Aryans, and wherever they went forced thoir lan- 
guage upon the conquered brunette races. How 
long ago these prehistoric migrations of Aryans 
began is lost in antiquity, but there are evidences 
in the Pyramids of intruding white men as early as 
three or four thousand years before Christ. It is 
known that there was an invasion of white men into 
Greece 2000 to 1000 B. C. However early this 
migration may have been, it was so long ago that 
ancient Sanskrit, formerly spoken and written in 
India and Persia, classic Greek and Latin, as well 
as ancient and modern German, French, Spanish, 
Italian, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Eng- 
lish, Gaelic, and Welsh languages, and many dia- 
lects now spoken in India, all bear unmistakable 
evidence of their common origin in the Aryan 
tongue. 

It is significant that Hellenes, the name by which 
the ancient Greeks called themselves; Celts and 



126 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

Gaels, names given to themselves by the ancient 
inhabitants of Great Britain and Ireland; and 
Aryans, the general name given to themselves by 
the conquering races to which we have referred, all 
mean "white men." Some high anthropological 
authorities do not accept the theory of the Aryan 
race. Some assign the place of its origin to Asia 
instead of Europe. But the majority favour the 
outline we have given — and the preponderance 
of evidence seems to be with them. 

CHARACTERISTICS OF EARLY BLOND RACES 

These early white men were tall, vigorous, rest- 
less, courageous, aggressive, and brainy, but they 
lacked culture. They excelled in warfare, in nav- 
igation, in exploration, but they are always called 
crude, barbarian, rough, and brutal by ancient 
writers. Having conquered the brunette natives 
of the various countries to which they migrated, 
the white men proved themselves to be wonderful 
organizers, creators, builders, rulers, and captains 
of industry. They early adopted the culture, 
arts, and letters developed through long centuries 
of patient plodding by the brunette peoples, among 
whom they intruded and over whom they ruled. 
They built up wonderful civilizations, great cities, 
and wealthy and powerful nations. The ruins 
of these Aryan creations are scattered through 



ANALYZING THE MAN 127 

Java, Ceylon, India, Persia, Syria, Egypt, Greece, 
Macedonia, Italy, and Spain. 

We therefore have the picture of civilization 
running back from eight to ten thousand years, 
with the ruling classes, the nobility, the aristoc- 
racy always blond, and the peasantry, the working 
classes, the subordinates in the scheme of things, 
always brunette. This fact is reflected in the 
Aryan languages, in the ancient paintings and 
statuary referred to at the beginning of this chap- 
ter, and in the almost instinctive glorification of 
the blond in art, in Hterature, on the stage, and 
in the vernacular. All occidental civilization, and 
a great deal of oriental civilization, has been built 
up and ruled from the very earliest times by white 
men. In many ancient governments the king or 
emperor was deified, and so gods and goddesses and 
all supernatural beings are represented as blonds. 

It is interesting to note in this connection that 
the inhabitants of modern Java, Ceylon, India, 
Persia, Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, Turkey, Italy, 
Spain, and France are now predominantly brunette. 
Many anthropologists agree that the blond Aryans 
who built up these old civilizations and left their 
language as a legacy have entirely died out. The 
reason for this disappearance of the tall, vigorous, 
restless blond is not so well understood. It ought 
to be clear to the thoughtful observer, however. 



128 THE JOB, THJE MAN, THE BOSS 

that if blondness was evolved in cold, dark, north- 
western Europe, then the extreme white Aryan 
race was out of its natural environment in these 
lands where there is an excess of light, against 
which they had little pigmentation as a protection. 
It is a well-known fact that there is no third genera- 
tion of white men in India. Woodruff presents an 
abundance of evidence to prove that the effect of 
an excess of sunlight, with its destructive actinic 
rays, is first to stimulate, then exhaust and degen- 
erate, and finally to extirpate the white races. He 
assigns the degeneracy and fall of all ancient civili- 
zations in hot countries to the effects of tropical 
and subtropical sunlight upon their blond rulers. 

TWO FACTS ABOUT BLONDS 

Statistics show that blonds are becoming rela- 
tively less numerous than brunettes in England, 
the United States, New Zealand, Australia, and 
South Africa, notwithstanding the constant fresh 
migrations of blonds to these countries from north- 
western Europe. Statistics also show many forms 
of physical, nervous, and mental degeneracy of 
blonds in tropical regions, of the second or third 
generations of blonds in subtropical climates, and 
of later generations of blonds in those parts of the 
temperate and north temperate zones where there 
is an abundance of sunlight. All of these facts are 



ANALYZING THE MAN 129 

of great scientific value to the student of variations 
in physique, in appearance, and in character 
among human beings. 

Two fundamental facts about blonds stand out 
from all this mass of evidence and are the key by 
which we may best understand their physical, 
mental, and psychical qualities : (1) Blondness was 
evolved in an environment which permitted the 
survival of those only who were most vigorous, 
most intelligent, most aggressive, most creative, 
most active, and most capable of adapting them- 
selves to extremes of heat and cold, feast and fam- 
ine, altitude, and occupation. (2) In countries 
where there is a great deal of light, blonds are 
suffering more or less from too much stimulation 
of brain and nerves, and oftentimes from brain 
and nerve exhaustion, and consequent physical, 
mental, and psychical degeneracy. 

EVOLUTION OF THE BRUNETTE 

In studying the brunette we shall understand 
better his characteristics if we remember that his 
brunetteness was evolved, in the great majority 
of cases, in a warm, pleasant climate where his 
necessities were comparatively few. Man requires 
less food, less clothing, less shelter, less fuel in a 
warm climate than in a cold one. In addition to 
requiring less of all these things, the brunette found 



130 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

them all easy to obtain from the abundance of 
animal and vegetable life around him. His sur- 
roundings were comfortable, conducive to quiet 
and physical inactivity. Since there was plenty 
to supply his few wants close at hand, he did not 
need to take to sea or travel far by land. Receiving 
most of his necessary warmth from outside sources, 
he did not need as much oxygen as the blond, who 
had to breathe in great quantities of it that he might 
sustain internal oxygenization and thus produce 
heat for himself. As a result of the same conditions, 
all processes of metabolism and katabolism in the 
brunette were slower than these processes in the 
blond. Whereas the blond was required to expend 
all of his mental and physical energy in active, 
aggressive combat with his harsh environment in 
order to obtain the material means of life, the bru- 
nette, in a kindlier environment and in the midst of 
plenty, had both energy and time to spare. 

With these scientific facts as to the evolution 
of blondness and brunetteness in mind, a thought- 
ful, logical person should be able to determine 
accurately the physical, mental, and psychical dif- 
ferences between blonds and brunettes. 

CHARACTERISTICS OF BLONDS 

The keynote of the physical characteristics of 
the normal blond is positiveness. He inclines to bq 



ANALYZING THE MAN 131 

tall, robust, with a superabundance of buoyant, 
radiant health and vigour. Since his race was 
evolved in a cold, dark, harsh environment, all of 
his physical processes are rapid and active. In 
order to maintain heat, it was necessary for his 
ancestors to eat and digest large quantities of food 
and breathe in a great deal of oxygen. To main- 
tain health and survive in their environment, they 
needed strong, reliable circulations and circulatory 
systems. With digestion, respiration, and circula- 
tion positive and active, processes of elimination 
needed to be similarly quick and active. All of 
these characteristics, as well as the low temperature 
in which they lived, necessitated great muscular 
activity; as did also their need for food and cloth- 
ing. 

Because of his heredity and racial environment, 
therefore, the normal blond is characterized' in 
every department of his physical being by positive- 
ness, rapidity, adaptability, energy, and activity. 
It is for these reasons that a blond seldom suffers 
from chronic diseases. He becomes ill quickly 
and dies or recovers quickly. 

Since quickness and aggressiveness are physical 
attributes of the blond; since in his hunting, his 
sailing, and his fighting he has always been called 
upon for quick explosions of tremendous energy 
followed by periods of recuperation, the blond is 



132 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

not particularly well fitted for long-sustained phys- 
ical action. He expends his abundant energy too 
rapidly. In athletics, therefore, blonds excel in 
the sprints and dashes, in jumping, throwing, vault- 
ing, and other such contests; while the brunettes 
are better adapted to long runs, wrestling, prize 
fighting, and other contests where endurance is the 
prime requisite. 

The early environment of the blond races was 
damp and rainy, and their mode of life required 
both swimming and wading. Blonds are there- 
fore, as a rule, fond of water. The majority of 
great swimmers, skaters, oarsmen, and yachtsmen 
are blonds. The early Aryans were the first 
navigators. During the time of the Aryan civili- 
zation in Phoenicia, the Phoenicians were the great 
maritime nation; and it was when the Aryans 
ruled in Persia, in Greece, in Rome, in Carthage, 
in Spain, and in France, that these different 
nations maintained supremacy of sea power. 
It was when the Aryan rulers had been elimi- 
nated by excessive sunlight that their sea power 
waned. 

The mental characteristics of blonds are the 
results partly of the influence of their heredity and 
environment directly upon their mental nature, 
and partly arise from their physical condition. 
Since the brain of the blond was evolved in an' 



ANALYZING THE MAN 133 

environment requiring the constant exercise of in- 
telligence, he is naturally creative, resourceful, in- 
ventive, original. These qualities, it will readily 
be seen, fit in perfectly with those which are the 
result of his exuberant health. 

THE DOMINEERING BLOND 

The man who has a good digestion, a good cir- 
culation, who breathes deeply, and whose general 
health is robust and positive, will naturally be 
optimistic, hopeful, exuberant, eager, and fearless. 
Such a man is willing to take a chance, speculative, 
impatient, restless, always sighing for new worlds 
to conquer. The early struggle for existence of 
the blond races led them far afield. They hunted 
over miles of territory. They hunted in the moun- 
tains and on the plains. They went to sea in ships. 
Their very climate was freakish and changeable. 
As a result of these environmental influences, the 
blond developed an eager and active disposition, 
and is fond of change, loves variety, is happiest 
when he has many irons in the fire, and easily turns 
his attention from one interest to another. Be- 
cause of these qualities, and because of the joy of 
conquest developed through ages of triumph over 
unfriendly environment, the blond loves to rule. 
He is inclined to be domineering. He loves to 
handle and manage large affairs and come in contact 



134 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

with life at as many points as possible. Because 
of his exuberant health, his splendid circulation, and 
his naturally optimistic, hopeful, courageous dis- 
position, the blond likes excitement, crowds, gayety. 
He is a good mixer — makes acquaintances readily 
with all kinds of people, but, on account of his 
changeable nature, is liable to be fickle. Thus every- 
where blonds push into the limelight, engage in 
politics, promoting and building up great enterprises, 
selling, advertising, organizing, colonizing, creating, 
and inventing. It is for this reason that blonds pre- 
dominate among royalty, nobility, and aristocracy. 
This has been observed by many investigators. In 
the Monthly Review for August, 1901, page 93, 
Havelock Ellis says: 

HAVELOCK ELLIS ON BLONDS AND BRUNETTES 

*'It is clear that a high index of pigmentation, 
or an excess of fairness, prevails among the men of 
restless and ambitious temperament, the sanguine, 
energetic men, the men who easily dominate their 
fellows and who get on in life, the men who recruit 
the aristocracy and who doubtless largely form the 
plutocracy. It is significant that the group of 
low-class men — artisans and peasants — and the 
men of religion, whose mission in life it is to preach 
resignation to a higher will, are both notably of 
dark complexion. While the men of action thus 



ANALYZING THE MAN 135 

tend to be fair, men of thought, it seems to me, 
show some tendency to be dark." 

On pages 95 and 96 he says: "It so happens 
that an interesting and acute psychological study 
of the fair and dark populations of Norway has 
lately been made by Dr. A. M. Hansen. This 
investigation has revealed differences even more 
marked between the fair and dark than may easily 
be discovered in our own islands, and this is not 
surprising, since our racial elements have been 
more thoroughly mixed. The fair population, 
he tells us, is made up of the born aristocrats, ac- 
tive, outspoken, progressive, with a passion for 
freedom and independence, caring nothing for 
equality; the dark population is reserved and sus- 
picious, very conservative, lacking in initiative, 
caring little for freedom, but with a passion for 
equality. The fair people are warlike, quarrel- 
some when drunk, and furnish, in proportion to 
numbers, three times as many men for the volun- 
teer forces as the dark people; the latter, though 
brave sailors, abhor war, and are very religious, 
subscribing to foreign missions nearly three times 
as much per head as is furnished by fair people, 
who are inclined to be irreligious. The fair people 
value money and all that money can buy, while the 
dark people are indifferent to money. The reality 
of mental distinction is shown by the fact that a 



136 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

map of the proportion of conservative voters in 
elections to the Storthing exactly corresponds to 
an anthropological map of the country, the con- 
servative majority being found in the dark and 
broad-headed districts. While, however, the fair 
population is the most irreligious and progressive, 
the dark population is by no means behind in the 
production of intellect, and the region it inhabits 
has produced many eminent men." 

In the same article, on page 97, he says: "It 
may also be remarked that the characteristics of 
the fair population are especially masculine quali- 
ties; while the characteristics of the dark population 
are more peculiarly feminine qualities. It so hap- 
pens also that women, as is now beginning to be 
generally recognized by anthropologists, tend to 
be somewhat darker than men." 

WOODRUFF ON BLONDS AND BRUNETTES 

On page 142, "The Effects of Tropical Light 
on White Men," Major Woodruff says: "The fair 
man tends to be bold, energetic, restless, and dom- 
ineering, not because he is fair, but because he be- 
longs to an aboriginal fair stock of people who 
possess those qualities; while the dark man tends 
to be resigned and religious and imitative, yet 
highly intelligent, not because he is dark, but be- 
cause he belongs to a dark stock possessing these 




Copyright by D. F. Barry. 

Fig. 1. American Indian. Observe high nose and strong chin 



ANALYZING THE MAN 137 

characteristics. While, however, the fair popula- 
tion is the most irreligious and progressive, the 
dark population is by no means behind in the pro- 
duction of intellect." 

One of the first thoughts of the average reader 
of this chapter will be of some blond or brunette 
who contradicts every one of these generalizations. 
Lest this be discouraging, we call attention to 
several important considerations : First, there are 
many blonds and brunettes, who, for pathologi- 
cal reasons, are not normal; second, albinos or 
near albinos are not the only blonds; third, the 
observation of an unpracticed eye is not always re- 
liable; fourth, there are eight other variables yet 
to be observed, each with its many variations and 
their important significance; fifth, the character- 
istics accompanying variations in colour find many 
avenues of expression, not all of them patent to the 
casual observer. 

CHARACTERISTICS OF BRUNETTES 

Just as the normal blond is physically and men- 
tally consistent with what might be expected of one 
of his evolution and history, so is the normal bru- 
nette. Since the brunette races were evolved in a 
kindlier climate than the blond, less physical and 
mental positiveness was required of them, and they 
have been able to survive without the exuberant 



138 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

health, vigour, intelHgence, resourcefulness, and 
aggressiveness required of blonds. Their respira- 
tion, digestion, circulation, and elimination are all 
slower and more moderate than in the blond. 
Since size has not been necessary for their survival, 
they do not incline to be so large as blonds; nor are 
they so active, so quick, or in any way physically 
so positive. Brunettes require less food and breathe 
less oxygen than blonds. Since all physical proc- 
esses of brunettes are slower, they expend their 
energy less rapidly, and are therefore more endur- 
ing. They do not become ill so quickly, but are 
more subject to chronic diseases. 

Because his environment has not required it, and 
because of his negative physical nature, the bru- 
nette is not so bold, not so aggressive, not so reck- 
lessly indifferent to consequences as the blond. 
For these reasons, and because his mode of life 
as well as his climate has tended to sameness, the 
brunette is more conservative, more constant. In 
keeping with all of these qualities, the brunette 
does not seek the limelight, crowds, dominating 
position, and excitement, but prefers a few friends, 
well beloved, a quiet home, the affection of his 
family and pets, and an opportunity to enjoy the 
beauties of nature. Because the brunette has not 
been compelled to give all of his time and energy 
to a struggle for his life with harsh material condi- 




Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, N. V. 

Fig. 2. A Turkish Parade. Turks, evolved in cold, light 
northern Asia, are brunettes with convex noses 



ANALYZING THE MAN 139 

tions, he has evolved a tendency to introspection, 
to the development of philosophy, religion, mys- 
teries, and other products of metaphysical and 
spiritual activities. It is significant that Christian- 
ity, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Mohammed- 
anism — the four principal religions of the world — 
have their origin and their most devoted adherents 
among brunette peoples. 

ORIENT AND OCCIDENT 

The difference between the Orient and the Oc- 
cident is very largely a difference between blonds 
and brunettes. It is typical of the oriental bru- 
nette that he should incline to mysticism, occultism, 
psychism, meditation, self-denial, and non-resist- 
ance, Hving on a meagre diet and rather indifferent 
to material things. It is also characteristic of the 
occidental blond that he should be materialistic, 
commercial, scientific, manufacturing, an organi- 
zer of trusts and combinations, a builder of rail- 
roads and empires, interested chiefly in the things 
he can see, hear, smell, taste, and feel, and giving 
the unseen world but secondary consideration. 

The brunette, having time at his disposal, has 
evolved patience, and with it a disposition for 
detail, for minute specialization. Not having a 
genius for organization and government, he is 
usually willing to permit the domineering blond to 



140 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

take this burden off his hands. To-day, wherever 
there is stable government, it is either in the hands 
or under the influence of blonds — white men. 
India is ruled by blond England, as is Egypt. 
Turkey and the Balkan States have been in a state 
of suppressed and active turbulence ever since the 
line of blond rulers died out, and are now being 
reduced to something like order by blond Europe. 
Mexico and some of the South and Central Ameri- 
can republics achieved whatever measure of sta- 
bility they had under the rule of blond Goths 
and descendants of Goths from Spain. Now that 
these white strains have been killed off by excessive 
sunlight these countries have become so unstable 
that some kind of white protectorate seems neces- 
sary. 

Prison statistics show that the blond is most 
frequently guilty of crimes of passion and impulse, 
crimes arising from his gambling propensities and ill- 
considered promotion schemes; while the brunette 
is more likely to commit crimes of deliberation, 
specialization, detail, such as murder, counter- 
feiting, forgeries, conspiracy, etc. Because the 
blond is healthy, optimistic, and naturally good- 
humoured, he eliminates anger, hatred, melancholy, 
discouragement, and all other negative feelings 
from his mind as easily as he eliminates waste prod- 
ucts from his body. Because he is naturally 



ANALYZING THE MAN 141 

slow, cautious, conservative, and inclined to be 
serious and thoughtful, the brunette is far more 
liable to harbour resentment, to cherish a grudge, 
to plan revenge, to see the dark side of life, and 
often to be melancholy and pessimistic. 

The same qualities that cause the blond to be 
cheerful and optimistic when things go wrong, give 
him a tendency to permit things, if they seem 
trivial to him, to go wrong. On the other hand, the 
same qualities that cause the brunette to be careful 
and painstaking with minute details also incline 
him to worry and grow despondent when trouble 
comes. 

INDICATIONS OF COLOUR SUMMED UP 

In brief, always and everywhere, the normal 
blond has positive, dynamic, driving, aggressive, 
domineering, impatient, active, quick, hopeful, 
speculative, changeable, and variety-loving char- 
acteristics; while the normal brunette has negative, 
static, conservative, imitative, submissive, cau- 
tious, painstaking, patient, plodding, slow, deliber- 
ate, serious, thoughtful, specializing characteristics. 

In applying this law of colour to people of the 
white race, the method is simple. The less the 
pigmentation in any individual, the more marked 
will be the characteristics of the blond in his phys- 
ical, mental, and psychical nature; the greater 



142 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

the degree of pigmentation, the more marked the 
characteristics of the brunette. 

FORM 

The Evolution of Form 

Primitive man was not only brunette, according 
to anthropologists, but had a short, wide, low- 
bridged nose, with large, round nostrils leading 
almost directly to the throat. Primitive man 
doubtless inhabited the tropical and subtropical 
regions of the earth. Dwelling in a warm climate, 
he was slow in all his muscular and organic re- 
actions, had comparatively little need to develop 
bodily heat, and was not compelled to great activity 
in order to obtain his relatively meagre necessities 
of life. For all of these reasons, therefore, primi- 
tive man required only moderate supplies of oxy- 
gen. His breathing was therefore shallow and 
slow. The warm, moist air of his natural environ- 
ment needed little or no tempering before enter- 
ing his lungs. Therefore a short, wide air-passage 
fitted his requirements admirably. It was all the 
better because the air of the tropics is rarefied by 
heat and contains less oxygen in a given volume 
than cold air. 

When man, either voluntarily or as the result of 
overcrowding, migrated into colder and harsher 
cHmates, conditions were changed. The air, being 





1 - (1 

j 
mJI^ liiiiilirT f 1 


.J 



Fig. 4. Filipino Girls, 
cave foreheads and noses, 
brunette races 



Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, N. Y. 

They have the characteristic con- 
and convex mouths and chins of 



ANALYZING THE MAN 143 

cold, was more condensed, and contained more 
oxygen in proportion to its volume than air in the 
warmer climates. Short, wide air-passages to the 
lungs were not necessary. On the other hand, they 
were a disadvantage, as cold air quickly killed off 
those with the flattest, widest noses and shallowest 
lungs — just as it kills negroes by pneumonia, 
bronchitis, and tuberculosis in our Northern climes 
to-day. While the greater density of the air in- 
creased its richness in oxygen in proportion to 
volume, its lower temperature necessitated a larger 
consumption of oxygen in order to maintain bodily 
heat. There was also an increased demand for 
oxygen due to the greater muscular activity needed 
to hunt down, capture, carry, and otherwise pro- 
vide food, clothing, shelter, and fuel. So man in 
his rigorous environment breathed greater volumes 
of air, and at the same time required the air he 
breathed to be warmed and moistened before 
reaching his lungs. 

EVOLUTION OF THE LARGE, HIGH NOSE 

Since those with the shortest and flattest noses 
were killed off by the climate, it follows that those 
with the longest, highest, narrowest noses sur- 
vived. This process of selection developed a race 
with noses high in the bridge, well set out from the 
face, and with narrow, elongated nostrils. Cold 



144 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

air, though admitted through such a nose in large 
quantities, would be drawn in thin ribbons over and 
around moistened and heated surfaces, and thus 
prepared for the lungs. The high, thin nose was 
therefore evolved in the same environment with 
blondness and is associated, along with blondness,'^ 
with nobility and aristocracy by artists, poets, j 
dramatists, and the people generally in both an- 
cient and modern times . Next to colour, therefore , 
the nose as seen in profile is perhaps one of the most 
ancient as well as one of the most easily observed 
and popularly regarded indications of character. 

Not all high, thin noses, however, were evolved 
along with blondness. The brown and yellow races 
of the cold, light northern plains of Asia and Amer- 
ica also have them. Such noses are shown in 
figures 1 and 2 (American Indians and Turks). 
The faces of brunette peoples who live in warm, 
moist climates show how common is the broad, 
flat nose among them. See figures 3 and 4 (Ne- 
groes and Filipinos.) 

The height and thinness of the nose among the 
people of India has been found to correspond very 
closely with their height of caste. H. H. Risley 
in his book, "The Types and Castes of Bengal," 
pages 80-81, says: "If we take a series of castes in 
Bengal, Behar, or the Northwest Province and 
arrange them in the order of the average nasal 




= c 

•a 
■a a^ 

3-^ 



o 



i =« 

T3 CO 



ANALYZING THE MAN 145 

index, so that the caste with the finest nose shall 
be at the top, and that with the coarsest at the 
bottom of the list, it will be found that this order 
substantially corresponds with the accepted order 
of social precedence. The casteless tribes — Kols, 
Korwas, Munda, and the like — who have not yet 
entered the Brahmanical system, occupy the lowest 
place. Then come the vermin-eating Muskars and 
the leather-dressing Chamars .... From 
them we pass to the trading Khatris, the land- 
holding Babhan, and the upper crust of Hindu 
society. It is scarcely a paradox to lay down as a 
law for the caste organization of eastern India 
that a man's social status varies in inverse ratio 
to the width of his nose. . . . The remarkable 
correspondence between the gradations of type 
as brought out by certain indices, and the grada- 
tions of social precedence, enables us to conclude 
that community of race, and not, as has frequently 
been argued, community of function, is the real 
determining principle of the caste system. Every- ^ 
where we find high social position associated with a \' 
certain physical type and, conversely, low social; 
position with a markedly different type." Bengal 
is a presidency in northern India, much of it being 
of high altitude, where cold and dryness have had 
their effect upon the nose as well as upon the char- 
acter of the people. 



146 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

From our own records we find that out of 997 
white people examined in all parts of America, 
851, or 85.28 per cent., had high noses, and 146, 
or 14.72 per cent., low noses. 

The significant point in regard to the contour or 
form of the nose as seen in profile is this : The high, 
prominent nose enables its possessor to breathe in 
large quantities of oxygen in cold air. It was 
evolved in the midst of environments necessitating 
great activity and aggressiveness. It is therefore 
always associated with positive energy. The low, 
short, "sway-back," or flat nose is best adapted to 
breathe warm, moist, rarefied air. It was evolved 
in the midst of an environment not requiring much 
activity. It is therefore associated with compara- 
tive inactivity and moderate or deficient energy. 

EVOLUTION OF THE HIGH, SLOPING FOREHEAD 

An examination of figures 3, 4, and 5 reveals 
some interesting and significant facts about fore- 
heads. Among the most primitive and most back- 
ward races and individuals we find the forehead 
low, short, narrow, and receding — small in every 
dimension. Among most civilized and semi-civil- 
ized brunette peoples the forehead is much higher, 
much wider, and inclined to be more prominent at 
or just below the hair-line than at the brows, as 
in Chinese, Japanese, and Malays. (See figures 




Fig. 6. 



A splendid example of convex upper, concave lower, 
profile 



ANALYZING THE MAN 147 

4 and 5.) Among white people the forehead is 
high and wide. In some individuals it is more 
prominent at the hair-line than at the brows, but 
in the majority much more prominent at the brows 
than above. (See figures 6, 7, 8, and 9.) Our ob- 
servations, taken upon 1,994 whites, show that 
1,701, or 85.27 per cent., have foreheads prominent 
at the brows and receding above; 293, or 14.73 per 
cent., prominent above and flat at the brows. 

The contour, or form, of the forehead as seen in 
profile is more or less closely associated with col- 
our, and presents considerations worthy of careful 
study and comparison. Popular opinion relates 
the size and shape of the forehead with the degree 
and type of intellectual power. People call a man 
who is interested in abstruse, intellectual matters a 
high-brow, and the man who is grossly material in 
his thought a low-brow. Anthropologists and phys- 
iological psychologists add their testimony by 
agreeing, almost unanimously, that the higher in- 
tellectual functions of the brain are performed by 
the frontal section of the cerebrum. 

Whether there is any real causal connection be- 
tween the size and form of the forehead and the 
degree and kind of intellectual power possessed by 
the individual is a question, the discussion of which 
we shall leave to others. We call attention, how- 
ever, once more to the illustrations. Figures 4 and 



148 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

5 show tliat civilized and semi-civilized dark races 
generally have foreheads prominent above and com- 
paratively flat at the brows. As we have seen, 
the brunette inclines to be thoughtful, meditative, 
introspective, philosophic, and theoretical, rather 
than practical intellectually; while the blond in- 
clines to be imaginative, inventive, material, com-\ 
mercial, scientific, and practical. 

Since the brunette was interested chiefly in 
dreams, fancies, philosophies, creeds, poems, and 
in the world of spirit and thought in general, he 
developed the power of abstract reasoning, analy- 
sis, correlation, and the perception of intellectual 
and spiritual values, leaving his powers of percep- 
tion of material and tangible things comparatively 
undeveloped. Since the blond was interested 
chiefly in material things, he trained and developed 
keen and reliable sense perceptions, and the ability 
to see things in their practical relationships. There- 
fore the "bulging" forehead is the forehead of 
meditation, of dreams and fancies, of abstract 
reasoning, of philosophies and creeds, and often- 
times of those delicate perceptions of the incon- 
gruity of ideas which we call a sense of humour. 
The high, sloping forehead is associated with a 
keen, practical, matter-of-fact intellect. Such an 
intellect gains its knowledge readily and quickly 
through the senses. It demands facts, but is com- 




Fig. 7. Savonarola. Extreme convex form of profile, 
especially convex mouth 



Note 



ANALYZING THE MAN 149 

paratively uninterested in the reasons for the facts. 
This type of intellect forms its conclusions quickly 
upon presentation of facts, especially of facts in 
concrete form, without taking the time to reason 
deeply or ponder over them. In general, then, 
the form of forehead which slopes back from the 
brows (see figure 6) is found with a quick, ener- 
getic, positive intellect; that which is prominent 
above (see figure 5) is found with a slow, medi- 
tative intellect of moderate or deficient energy. 

EVOLUTION OF FORM OF MOUTH AND CHIN 

That we may study the face as a whole, let us 
also observe the contour of the mouth and chin as 
seen in profile. The dweller in the kindly, gentle 
climes of the tropics and subtropics finds most of 
his food in the form of ripe fruit. This is not only 
soft and easy of mastication but also so easy of di- 
gestion as to be in some cases almost predigested. 
The dweller in the cold, dark regions of the North 
is required to cut and tear and grind his food with 
his teeth. Such fruits as grow in his clime are 
harder and tougher than those found in the tropics. 
He also eats a great deal of grain, which has to be 
ground, and in ancient days was mostly ground 
by his own teeth. Nuts had to be cracked, and 
were frequently cracked by the teeth. Fish, flesh, 
and fowl were cut and torn and crushed by the 



150 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

teeth. Eskimo women prepare and soften leather 
by gnawing off the fat and gristle and chewing the 
skins. In this way the primitive dweller in the 
North developed a wide, deep jaw and chin, which 
not only afforded an adequate setting for his large 
teeth but a firm fastening for the muscles of mas- 
tication. (See figures 6, 10, and 16.) 

Civilized and semi-civilized dark races as shown in 
figures 3,4, and 5 incline either to narrow, receding 
chins or short, wide, receding chins. Is it strange 
that "strong" chins in literature and in the popular 
mind should be associated with courage, will-power, 
defiance, endurance, and persistence, and that 
"weak" or receding chins are held to be indications 
of a degree of deficiency in these qualities .^^ The 
wide, deep chin, prominent at the lower point, as 
seen in profile, was evolved in the midst of an en- 
vironment requiring courage, determination, and 
endurance. The short, narrow, receding chin was 
evolved in the midst of an environment requiring 
relatively little of these qualities. 

It is only natural that in the narrow, contracted, 
under-developed jaw and chin the teeth are crowded 
and pushed forward. This gives the mouth, as 
seen in profile, a protruding or prominent form. 
In the broad, square jaw, the teeth, having plenty 
of room, arrange themselves in a broader, flatter 
curve and stand either vertically in the jaws or 




Fig. 8. Kaiser Wilhelm II. Good example of pure convex 
form of profile. Note great energy indicated by nose 



ANALYZING THE MAN 151 

pointed slightly inward rather than outward. This 
arrangement and position of the teeth gives the en- 
tire mouth, as seen in profile, a flatter, less promi- 
nent, and even receding aspect. Figures 3,4, 5, and 
7 show the prominent mouth and teeth; figures 6, 
10, the flat or receding mouth and teeth. 

DIGESTION AND CHARACTER 

The articulation of protruding teeth is often poor. 
It is not easy for them to masticate food. Easily 
digested food is, as we have seen, the principal part 
of the diet where this form of mouth is evolved. The 
tendency, therefore, is toward quick, rather weak, 
digestion. And an unreliable digestion leads to 
irritability, cynicism, scolding, and "grouchiness." 
A less prominent and protruding arrangement 
of the teeth gives them more room for develop- 
ment. It also affords better articulation and 
makes better mastication possible. This arrange- 
ment of teeth having been evolved in regions where 
most of the food obtainable required time and vigour 
to digest, the tendency of evolution was therefore 
toward a slow, strong, reliable digestion. Such 
a digestion is conducive to abundant nourishment 
— and the mild, sweet, good-natured, cheerful dis- 
position which naturally results from a sound diges- 
tion and sufficient food. A hungry animal — or 
a hungry man — is often cross and impatient. 



152 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

And one whose digestion is poor is in a constant 
state of partial starvation. A prominent mouth, 
therefore, was evolved along with a quick, unrelia- 
ble digestion • — a receding mouth with a slow, 
reliable digestion. Hence a prominent mouth is- 
associated with irritability and impatience — a 
receding mouth with mildness and sweetness. 

We have now considered briefly the evolution of 
form of forehead, nose, mouth, and chin, as seen in 
profile. We have also considered very briefly the 
significance of form in each case. Note carefully 
the following facts: First, form always relates to 
the contour of a feature as seen in profile. Second, 
in considering form we always give attention to 
whether the feature is prominent and protruding, or 
somewhat concave and receding. With these points 
clearly in mind, let us now construct a human 
face, as seen in profile, with forehead prominent at 
the brows and receding above, with the eyes large 
and prominent, with the nose high in the bridge, 
long, and standing well out from the face, with teeth 
and mouth protruding and prominent, and with 
chin short and receding. Such a face is well rep- 
resented by figures 7, 8, and 9. 

Now let us construct another face, with forehead 
prominent above and flat at the brows, eyes deep- 
set and small, nose short, sway-back, or snubbed, 
teeth and mouth receding, and chin long, broad. 



Fig. 9. 



An American Engineer. Pure convex form of profile. 
Note especially prominent brows 



ANALYZING THE MAN 153 

?.nd prominent at the lower point. Such a face 
is well represented in figure 10. 

Now let us construct still another face, with a 
straight forehead, about equally prominent above 
and at the brows, with eyes neither deep-set nor 
protruding, with a straight, medium-sized nose, 
with a mouth neither prominent nor receding, and 
a chin whose form, as seen in profile, is in a straight 
line with the forehead, eyes, nose, and mouth. 
Such a face is well represented in figure 11. 

THREE PRIMARY FORMS OF FACE 

Now let us examine carefully these three faces. 
The face shown in figure 9 is convex in form, 
as seen in profile. The face in figure 10 is concave 
in form, as seen in profile. The face in figure 11 
is plane, as seen in profile. The face in figure 9 
is prominent in the middle section and recedes 
above and below. This is the pure type of convex 
form. The face in figure 10 is prominent above 
and below, and receding in the middle section. 
This is the pure type of concave form. The face 
in figure 11 is not particularly prominent in any 
section but is modelled upon a plane surface. This 
is the pure type of plane form. Form, therefore, 
as used in this science, refers to the contour of the 
face or of any feature as seen in profile. A convex 
face has a convex contour. A concave face has 



154 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

a concave contour. A plane face has a plane con- 
tour. 

While certain forms of features seem to have 
been evolved along with blondness, and certain 
other forms along with brunetteness, it is well to 
bear in mind that every degree and combination 
of convexity and concavity is to be found associ- 
ated with every degree of blondness and brunette- 
ness. While it is true, as our statistics prove, 
that, as a general rule, convex noses and foreheads 
are found among white peoples, and concave noses 
and foreheads among dark races, we have seen 
many examples of concave noses and foreheads 
among whites, and convex noses and foreheads 
among dark people. Examples of this are many 
in any public gathering. One of the most impor- 
tant of all the truths of this science is that any com- 
bination of variations of the nine fundamental 
variables is possible. 

THE CONVEX FACE 

The significance of the pure convex type is en- 
ergy, both mental and physical. Superabundance 
of energy makes the extreme convex keen, alert, 
quick, eager, aggressive, impatient, positive, and 
penetrating. As indicated by the form of his fore- 
head, the extreme convex will express his energy 
in a practical manner — that is to say, in keen 




Fig. 10. Dr. T. Alex. Cairns, Lecturer. Pure concave form 
of profile. Well known for good nature and humour 



ANALYZING THE MAN 155 

observation in dealing with material and tangible 
things. He will demand facts, and will act upon 
facts quickly and rapidly, being too impatient to 
wait for reasons and theories and other abstruse 
considerations which seem to him impractical. 
The pure convex is not only quick to act but quick 
to speak. The tendencies indicated by his convex 
mouth will cause him to speak frankly and at 
times even sharply and fiercely, without much re- 
gard for tact or diplomacy. As indicated by his 
type of chin, the pure convex is impulsive, expends 
his energy too rapidly for his limited endurance, 
and, owing to his lack of self-control and disinclina- 
tion to deliberate and reason, frequently blunders, 
and expends his energy uselessly or unprofitably 
or even harmfully. Being of such a keen, ener- 
getic, impatient, practical nature himself, the ex- 
treme convex has a stimulating and oftentimes an 
irritating effect upon others. The impression he 
makes is always positive, whether that of refresh- 
ing frankness and stimulating energy, or offensive 
sharpness and irritating activity. 

THE CONCAVE FACE 

The pure concave, as might be expected, is the 
exact opposite, so far as the indications of form are 
concerned, of the pure convex. The keynote of 
his character is mildness. His concave nose is an 



156 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

indication of moderate or deficient energy. He is 
slow of thought, slow of action, patient in disposi- 
tion, plodding. As indicated by his concave fore- 
head, he thinks far better than he sees or hears, and 
is therefore liable to fits of absent-mindedness, day- 
dreaming, and meditation. He thinks carefully, 
seeks out the reasons for things. He is more inter- 
ested in the reasons for facts than in the facts 
themselves. His broad, deep, concave chin indi- 
cates maturity, self-control, deliberation, slowness 
to act, determination, and persistence, as well as 
great powers of mental and physical endurance. 
His concave mouth indicates a slow, easy, reliable 
digestioUj and, perhaps for that reason, a large 
freedom from irritability, and consequent tendency 
to mildness, tactfulness, and diplomacy of speech. 

What the convex wins or gains by his aggres- 
siveness, keenness, and superabundance of energy, 
the concave wins or gains by his diplomacy and 
unwavering persistence and endurance. Whereas, 
the effect of the pure convex upon others is positive, 
and either stimulating or irritating, the effect of 
the pure concave is negative and soothing, although 
his extreme deliberation may at times be irritating 
to the impatient. 

Because of his deficient energy, because of his 
great deliberation, because of his few spoken and 
written words, and deficiency in self-advertisement, 




Fig. 11. Charles Dana Gibson. Pure plane form of profile 



ANALYZING THE MAN 157 

because he lacks aggressiveness, the concave is sel- 
dom found among men of achievement and prom- 
inence. The convex is also, in the majority of 
cases, a blond. The combination of hopeful, 
optimistic, restless, organizing, creating, domineer- 
ing characteristics of the blond with the quick, alert, 
practical, aggressive qualities of the convex, make 
this type distinctively the type of action and tangible 
accomplishment. The concave brunette is an ex- 
ceedingly rare type among famous men. Whenever 
one is found he has achieved fame through either 
philosophy or religion — requiring deep, abstruse 
thought, or some form of art^ — requiring years of pa- 
tient plodding, and detailed, specialized application. 

THE PLANE FACE 

The individual whose face is modelled upon the 
plane in form — the plane of his face being parallel 
with his spinal column — is a balance between the 
extreme convex and the extreme concave. In this 
individual we find moderate energy, a type of intel- 
lect which, while not so intensely practical as that 
of the extreme convex, has a good degree of the 
practical combined with reasonableness and bal- 
anced judgment. The plane type has neither the 
*' hair-trigger" impulsiveness of the extreme convex 
nor the procrastinating deliberation of the extreme 
concave, but is a balance between the two. The 



158 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

plane, also, is neither extremely quick nor extremely 
slow, but moderate in his movements and in his 
thinking. He expresses himself well, and some- 
times frankly, but seldom harshly or sharply. He 
is inclined to be patient, but has decided ideas as to 
when patience ceases to be a virtue. 

Nearly all people approach this balanced or 
plane type. It is a law established by many experi- 
menters and investigators that the great majority 
of individuals is to be found at the mean of any 
variation, and in rapidly decreasing numbers to- 
ward the extremes. There are, therefore, among 
normal white people, a few pure plane, a great 
many moderately convex, some moderately con- 
cave, but relatively few extreme convex, and a still 
smaller portion of extreme concave. Those who 
are moderately concave manifest the character- 
istics of the concave in a moderate degree; those 
who are moderately convex manifest the char- 
acteristics of the convex in moderate degree; and, 
naturally, the greater the degree of convexity or 
concavity the greater the degree of the manifesta- 
tion of their respective characteristics. 

As in applying the laws of colour, so in applying 
those of form it is not diflficult for the novice to 
find apparent exceptions. For the trained observer 
this is not so easy. Exceptions are always merely 
apparent — never real. 



ANALYZING THE MAN 159 

Convex features are often associated, in the same 
face, with concave or plane features. One man 
may have a convex forehead and nose, and a con- 
cave mouth and chin. Another man may have a 
concave forehead and nose, and a convex mouth and 
chin. Still another may have concave forehead, 
mouth, and chin, and convex nose. In all such 
cases, the interpretation is made by observing the 
degree of convexity or concavity of each feature, 
and drawing conclusions based on the evolution of 
form. Practice is necessary to facility in drawing 
these conclusions. 

SIZE 

In treating colour and form we have gone into 
considerable detail, both as to the evolutionary 
causes and indications. This has been for the 
purpose of making clear our method of investiga- 
tion and method of treatment. While the same 
methods have been used in studying the other seven 
variables, perhaps we have made them sufficiently 
clear and may omit more than a passing mention of 
causes and indications in this treatise. 

Size is one of the most easily observable of all a 
man's physical attributes, and the place a man 
should occupy, and the work he can do with relation 
to his size, ought to be too obvious for comment. 
It is a fact, however, which any one can demon- 



160 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

strate for himself by visiting any factory, that fore- 
men sometimes put Httle spiderHke men at work 
handUng big trucks, to the mutual disadvantage 
of both employer and employee. Tall men are 
hired to do work that requires constant stooping; 
short men for jobs where they have to reach up, 
stretching themselves to the point of discomfort 
and exhaustion. 

In this connection, Frank B. Gilbreth says: 
"Size of men with relation to their motions has 
much more influence than is usually realized. 
Short men are usually the best shovellers where 
the shovelful need not be raised much in doing the 
work, such as in mixing mortar and concrete. 
Few foremen realize that this is because a short 
man does fewer foot-pounds of work in the same 
amount of shovelling. On the other hand, when 
men are shovelling in a trench, the taller the man, 
usually, the more output per man."* Much stoop- 
ing or bending soon fatigues a tall man. Reaching 
for things beyond his height is tiresome to the short 
man. The tall man with long legs will cover dis- 
tances or do standing work well. The heavy, vital 
man must do the bulk of his work while sitting. 
It is a great mistake to put a heavy man in work 
which requires him to be much on his feet, unless 
he is exceptionally well-muscled. 

*"Motion Study," page 36. 




Photograph by Underwood & Underwood, N. V. 



Fig. 13. Judge Ben. B. Lindsay. A fine example of men- 
tal type. Observe triangular face 



ANALYZING THE MAN 161 

SIZE AND CHARACTER 

The foregoing refers only to the physical con- 
siderations of size. The influence of size upon 
character is readily understood when the intimate 
relation between muscular action, organic reaction, 
and emotion is borne in mind. It is a fundamen- 
tal law of physics that small bodies have less inertia 
than large — that is to say, they get under way 
more quickly and move more rapidly in response 
to the application of the same degree of energy 
than large bodies. The small man's muscular 
activities and organic reactions, therefore, are 
in general quicker and more rapid than the large 
man's. Granting that Professor James is right 
in saying that the cause of emotion is physiological, 
undersized individuals' emotions are more readily! 
and more quickly aroused than the oversized, other ) 
things being equal. Pathological conditions may 
make a small man slow and unresponsive emotion- 
ally. Other pathological conditions may make a 
large man irritable and easily excited, but normally, 
and in general, our researches have proved that 
considerations of physiology and psychology are 
reliable. On the other hand, the law of momen- 
tum holds true in this case, and the large man when 
once aroused is often more intense in his emotions 
and cools off far more slowly than the small 
man. 



162 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

STRUCTURE 

The structure of man in general is determined 
by the relative degree of development and use of 
three of his chief functional systems — namely, (1) 
brain and nervous system, (2) muscular and bony 
system, (3) digestive and nutritive system. 

MENTAL TYPE 

When the brain and nervous system are most 
highly developed as the result of both heredity and 
environment, the head is relatively large in pro- 
portion to the body, especially in the upper sec- 
tion, in extreme cases resembling a pear — with 
the large end up. See figure 13. The bones 
and muscles are slight and delicate; the features 
finely chiselled; the shoulders often narrow and 
sloping; the hair fine in texture, and scanty. In- 
deed, the general appearance of the extreme type 
of excessive development of brain and nervous 
system gives one the impression that the whole 
physical organism has been subordinated to brain. 
People of this type have neither the strength nor 
the endurance for heavy manual labour and, since 
in addition they are principally interested in intel- 
lectual, artistic, literary, scientific, philosophical, 
and other purely mental subjects, they dislike 
physical effort, and are discontented and unhappy 
if obliged to earn their living by manual labour. 




Is^ 




Copyright, by Underwood & Underwood. 



Fig. 14. Hon. Wm, G. McAdoo. An example of the motive 
type 



ANALYZING THE MAN 163 

The type, of course, includes several grades of 
mentality. Merely cataloguing a person in this 
classification does not mean he is an intellectual 
giant. If his qualities are moderate, he finds his 
appropriate niche in some form of clerical work; 
he is a bookkeeper, a cashier, a stenographer; per- 
haps a private secretary. If he has more marked 
talents he may rise to positions that demand the 
alert, inventive mind; he develops into one of those 
useful persons recognized as "having ideas." He 
may be the man whose active suggestions keep the 
business constantly forging ahead. If he is a 
lawyer, he is usually the kind known as the "consult- 
ant"; he is an expert at writing briefs; knows all the 
precedents for a hundred years back, and usually 
furnishes the court the points upon which it decides 
the case. As a medical man, he is the scientist 
with eye constantly glued on the microscope. He 
can discover new things for others to do and even 
tell how to do them. 

THE MOTIVE TYPE 

Just as the brain and nervous systems are highly 
developed by activity, so is the muscular and bony 
system. The whole make-up of the man who 
"does things" suggests activity. Muscularity is 
his predominant physical capital. His face is 
square rather than triangular. Upon the body 



164 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

there is little surplus flesh. It is broadest at the 
squarely set shoulders, from which it tapers to the 
feet. See figure 14 (Hon. Wm. G. McAdoo. An 
Example of the Motive Type) . The key-note of this 
type of man or woman, boy or girl, is physical activ- 
ity. They enjoy physical exercise, love the open air, 
and are well fitted for outdoor pursuits of all kinds. 
The motive type loves motion, speed, physical con- 
test, movement. Athletes in general, including 
football players, baseball players, runners, skat- 
ers, rowers, pugilists, acrobats, tennis players, and 
polo players show this type of development. Since 
they love speed and contest, people of this type 
should train and drive horses, build and drive 
automobiles, invent and pilot aeroplanes and motor 
boats, race on bicycles and motorcycles, and build 
and operate railroads, factories, dams, canals, 
bridges, tunnels, buildings of all kinds, ships, and 
engage in all other phases of active construction 
and transportation. Since they enjoy and under- 
stand motion, people of this type are mechanical. 
Even babies of motive indications manifest an 
intense interest in anything that works often be- 
fore they learn to walk or talk. People of this type, 
therefore, excel in inventing, designing, building, in- 
stalling, and operating machinery of all kinds. In 
short, the motive type is qualified for either direct- 
ing or performing every kind of physical work and 




Fig. 15. Ex-President William H. Taft. A splendid example 
of the vital type, with judicial aptitudes 



ANALYZING THE MAN 165 

activity, including farming, mining, manufacturing, 
transportation, construction, and exploration. 

The natural love of outdoor activity in these 
people leads them to become soldiers and sailors. 
All of our great generals and admirals have been 
pure examples or modifications of this type. Be- 
cause of their great activity and love of speed and 
motion, people in whom the bony and muscular 
system is well developed cannot endure restraint. 
From loving and demanding physical liberty there 
is scarcely a step to a love of and demand for civil 
and religious liberty. This element, therefore, is 
strong in all martyrs, reformers, great leaders, and 
pioneers in all kinds of human liberty, and in all 
ages. Washington, Lincoln, Emerson, Whitman, 
Luther, Cromwell, Franklin, Wendell Phillips, Gar- 
rison, Gladstone, Elbert Hubbard, Roosevelt, and 
Woodrow Wilson are good examples of modifica- 
tions of the motive type. 

The motive man is just about as ill-fitted to be 
confined for long hours day after day in an office 
as the man of extreme intellectual type is for hard, 
physical work. He demands a considerable amount 
of physical activity and is neither happy nor healthy 
unless he gets it. Usually the motive individual is 
skilful with his hands and fingers. When he is 
otherwise fitted for it, he produces wonderfully 
fine needlework, mosaic, jewelry and other similar 



166 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

products. There is a large development of this 
element in the Chinese, Japanese, and East Indians. 
The embroideries, laces, hand carvings, mosaics, 
filigrees, and other objects of art produced by these 
peoples are famous the world over. 

Motive boys and girls are liable to resent the 
confinement and restraint of school. They are 
often impatient to leave its mental activities in 
which they are only mildly interested at best, and 
begin immediately their active work. The result 
is that thousands of them forever miss opportuni- 
ties that might be theirs were they only better 
educated. They are thus forced to remain for 
life in subordinate positions, doing mere physical 
drudgery. Vocational training, giving plenty of 
opportunity to work with their hands and to de- 
velop their inherent mechanical, engineering, or 
inventive ability, will solve a serious and vital prob- 
lem for multitudes of boys and girls of this type. 

THE VITAL TYPE 

When the digestive and nutritive system is most 
highly developed and most used in proportion to 
the other organs and functions of the body, the 
whole person gives evidence of being well nour- 
ished. The individual of this type, therefore, has 
a head comparatively small in proportion to the 
body; cheeks full and well rounded, giving the face 




Fig. 16. Henry Woodruff. An example of fine texture 



ANALYZING THE MAN 167 

and head a circular or pear shape — with the big 
end down (see figure 15); chin full and often 
double; body modelled upon the circle, large around 
the waist and tapering to feet and shoulders; limbs 
round and short; hands and feet well covered with 
flesh so that the bones and muscles do not show; 
health usually robust; movement slow and deliber- 
ate. The extreme of this type is corpulent. This 
is the vital type. 

The predominating characteristic of the vital 
type is enjoyment of the good things of life. He 
likes to eat and drink. He loves ease and comfort. 
Muscular activity is distasteful to him. He often 
dislikes prolonged, severe mental work. Since vital 
people do not like to work physically or mentally, 
and yet crave all of the best products of work, 
the only way they can gratify their desires is by 
directing the work of others. 

The men who have the natural ability to sit in 
comfortable chairs and direct the mental and phys- 
ical activities of thousands of others, reaping for 
themselves great rewards, are usually of this well- 
nourished type. Since the vital type is interested 
in good things to eat, fine and comfortable things 
to wear, and the comforts and luxuries of life gener- 
ally, he enjoys handling them and is able to interest 
other people in them. People of this type are 
therefore fitted to succeed as butchers, bakers, 



168 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

chefs, grocers, produce and commission merchants. 
Modifications of this type are well qualified for the 
dry goods and clothing business, and indeed for all 
retail and wholesale merchandising, large and small. 
Since the handling of money gives a very large 
degree of control over the activities of other men, 
and since also money is the medium of exchange for 
many of the good things of life, the finances of the 
world are controlled very largely by men of the 
rounded, well-nourished type. Morgan, Schiff, 
Stillman, Vanderlip, Ryan, Belmont, Hill, and many 
other financiers show considerable development of 
the vital element. 

The large man, as we have seen, is slow of move- 
ment, with comparatively slow circulation and 
respiration. It may be for that reason that he is 
also calm, deliberate, unhurried, and not easily or 
readily excited. The well-nourished man, other 
things being equal, is comfortable and free from 
nervous irritability as well as from apprehension 
and worry as to his personal well-being. It may 
be for these reasons that men of this type so often 
have unprejudiced, judicial minds and are able to 
weigh all evidence carefully and impartially, and 
reason to a just and logical conclusion. Well- 
rounded, full-bodied men are often well fitted to be 
judges, referees, justices, arbitrators, and in general, 
to exercise judicial functions. 




Fig. 17. Maxim Gorky. An example of coarse texture 



ANALYZING THE MAN 169 

Among other good things that men of this type 
enjoy is a good laugh, and the society and friend- 
ship of other people. They are proverbially jolly, 
good-natured, sociable, friendly, and fond of good 
stories. They are therefore likely to be successful 
in politics. If they are writers or speakers they 
are frequently well known for their wit and humour. 

There are all degrees of relative development of 
brain and nervous system, muscular and bony 
system, and digestive and nutritive system in in- 
dividuals. In some, one of these is highly devel- 
oped and the other two deficient — in others, all 
three about equally developed. In all cases the 
characteristics of the three types are shown in di- 
rect proportion to the degree of development of 
each of the three physical systems. 

TEXTURE 

Texture refers to the degree of fineness or coarse- 
ness of fibre or grain in the individual, especially 
as seen in hair, skin, nails, features, hands, feet, and 
general body build. Human beings, as can be 
readily ascertained by casual observation, are 
coarse or fine in texture, just as fabrics or woods or 
metals or stones are. According to both biology 
and embryology, the human brain and nervous 
system are but specialized inturned skin. The 
first sign of the nervous system in the scale of 



170 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

evolution is the sensitive cell wall of a one-cell 
organism. The brain and spinal cord in the human 
embryo begin in a groove upon the surface, which 
deepens until it forms a channel, and still further 
deepens until it becomes a tube. This tube is the 
embryonic brain and spinal cord.- Texture of skin 
and texture of brain and nervous system are there- 
fore probably related. While the exact nature of 
brain and nervous function is not known, and there 
is no scientific evidence that texture of brain and 
nervous system causes variations in aptitudes, 
disposition, character, and preferences, extensive 
investigation and verification, however, have shown 
that differences in texture of hair, skin, nails, 
features, hands, and feet, and general body build, 
are uniformly accompanied by differences in apti- 
tudes, character, and preferences. 

The individual of fine texture (see figures 16 and 
20) is sensitive and responsive. He loves beauty. 
He will not work happily and efficiently in coarse, 
unlovely, harsh surroundings; nor will he be at 
his best handling coarse, heavy, unbeautiful tools 
or materials. He likes to do literary, artistic, or 
scientific work, or to handle fine machinery, beauti- 
ful tools, silks and satins, objects of art, jewelry, 
delicate, light, and artistic work. On the other 
hand, a man of coarse texture (see figure 17), a 
man whose hair, skin, features, hands, and body 



ANALYZING THE MAN 171 

generally, as well as his clothing and manner of 
speech, all indicate that he is of the "rough and 
ready" type, and not sensitive, can work happily 
and efficiently in the midst of dirt and grime. He 
handles with vigour and effectiveness heavy, un- 
refined materials and massive machinery. 

CONSISTENCY 

Under the head of consistency we consider the 
hardness, softness, or elasticity of bodily tissues. 
It has never been scientifically demonstrated that 
natural hardness and density of muscular fibre are 
associated with relative hardness and density of 
brain and nerve. However, there are good reasons 
for supposing that this may be the case. 

Physiological psychologists agree that mental 
and psychical functions and conditions are ac- 
companied by actual physical movements and 
changes in the brain and nervous structure. That 
which is hard and dense resists pressure and is slow 
to change. That which is elastic yields more 
readily to pressure but springs back when pres- 
sure is removed. That which is soft yields readily 
and quickly to pressure and is easily changed. 

Whether or not variations in character are 
caused by hardness, elasticity, or softness of brain 
and nervous tissue, extensive observations demon- 
strate that the man of hard bodily fibre is difficult 



172 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

to impress, unresponsive, slow to change. He 
is the man who is picturesquely enough called 
hard-headed and hard-hearted. He does not 
adapt himself easily to circumstances and condi- 
tions. He is, as it were, brittle, and breaks rather 
than bends or yields. Inasmuch as hard muscles are 
naturally energetic, the individual of this consistency 
has hard, relentless, driving, crushing energy. 

The individual of elastic consistency of bodily 
fibre has the same springiness, life, vigour, resil- 
ience, and recuperative power which is felt when his 
hand is grasped. He has normal energy, is adapt- 
able and capable of yielding a point for the sake 
of harmony. When pressure is removed from him, 
however, he has a tendency to return to his origi- 
nal state. 

The individual of soft consistency is impression- 
able, easily influenced, vacillating, and, unless 
braced up from the outside or kept in a sheltered 
position, is liable to yield to temptation. Such an 
individual is deficient in energy, does not like hard 
manual labour and cannot endure hardships. If his 
softness is so extreme as to be flabbiness, he is a lazy, 
idle dreamer and easily becomes a chronic invalid. 

PROPORTION 

Proportion refers to head shape and the relative 
degree of development of different sections of the 




Fig. 18. Theodore Roosevelt in early manhood 




Fig. 19. Theodore Roosevelt in middle life. Observe changes 
in expression 



ANALYZING THE MAN 173 

face, head, and body. This variable is subject to 
most intricate and complex variations which afford 
more detailed and specific information than the 
indications of any other variable. For this reason 
its adequate treatment would be too voluminous 
for a work of this character. 

EXPRESSION 

"Normally," says Mantegazza, "every thought 
and emotion takes form in action. A transitory 
emotion has a fugitive expression which leaves no 
trace, but when it is repeated several times it leaves 
on the face and other parts of the body an expres- 
sion which may reveal to us a page of the man's 
history." Since this is true, the careful, studious 
observer may learn to detect in the expression of 
people not only their passing, but their permanent, 
emotions and moods, and learn to recognize the 
indications of the more subtle. 

A marked illustration of the effect of experience 
and its accompanying emotions and mental proc- 
esses upon expression is graphically shown in figures 
18 and 19, photographs of Theodore Roosevelt, one 
taken in his early manhood, the other recently. A 
study of the eyes, mouth, cheeks, and brows will show 
the increase in concentration, determination, tenac- 
ity, intensity, and pugnacity during a few years 
of the *' strenuous life." 



174 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

Expression shows itself not only in the features, 
but in every movement, every gesture, the gait, 
the handshake, the carriage, handwriting,* and in 
many other ways. Everything a man does, says, 
thinks, or feels is because of the reaction of his 
particular combination of physical, mental, and 
psychical traits to external and internal stimuli. 
Everything he does, therefore, is an indication 
of his character; and, since, as Mantegazza says, 
a man's thoughts, feelings, words, and acts, all 
leave their traces in his face and upon his body, the 
careful student soon learns to read these signs as 
one reads a book. 

CONDITION 

Colour, form, size, structure, texture, consist- 
ency, and proportion disclose to the practised eye 
principally the inherent aptitudes, traits, and char- 
acteristics of the individual. Expression indicates 
to a large extent what the individual has done with 
his heritage and what life has done to him. The 
condition of his body, clothing, and personal sur- 
roundings indicates his physical and mental habits. 

Neat and well-brushed exteriors are not neces- 
sarily the signs of marked abilities — some of the 
ablest men, as we all know, have shamefully neg- 
lected their wardrobes — but they do mean that 
the wearer i^ painstaking and systematic, and that 



ANALYZING THE MAN 175 

he possesses a certain degree of self-respect. Care- 
lessness in dress, however, always indicates busi- 
ness laxity. A thrifty housewife reveals the fact 
in her own appearance as well as in that of her 
establishment; and a bookkeeper who keeps his 
clothes well pressed and makes occasional trips 
to the barber is more likely than not to balance his 
books. Loud clothes, startling neckties, flam- 
boyant effects in waistcoats and socks, when they 
are not merely the stigmata of adolescence, mark 
a man as vain and self-centred. 

Condition of body is naturally an excellent indi- 
cation of the state of health of the individual and 
reveals much to the practised eye. 

CONTRADICTIONS OF NATURAL LAW ONLY APPARENT 

These, then, are the nine variables. Each of 
them is subject to many kinds and degrees of varia- 
tion, with corresponding variations in character. 
It is because of the permutation and combination 
of these variations that billions of human beings — 
those who have lived on the earth and are living 
on it to-day — have each his own peculiar appear- 
ance and character. There are no duplicates. 

A study and observation of any one of the nine 
variables reveals much in regard to the individual, 
but it does not reveal all. One of the most difficult 
of all the obstacles to be overcom'^ bv the novice 



176 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

in analysis is the temptation to judge an individual 
solely by the indications of one variable, or two, or 
even three. Everything about a man indicates his 
character. Everything is significant. There can 
be no accurate or reliable analysis unless all nine 
variables are understood and their significance duly 
considered. It is perfectly natural that the reader 
of this chapter should attempt to apply its prin- 
ciples to himself and his friends and acquaint- 
ances. In doing so he will doubtless find many 
apparent discrepancies and contradictions, but 
these discrepancies and contradictions are only 
apparent. The laws of human nature, like all other 
laws of nature, are orderly and uniform in their 
operation, and do not admit of exceptions. In our 
own experience every apparent exception has turned 
out to be either faulty observation or mistaken 
judgment. A man of scientific mind carefully 
scrutinizes the evidence, verifies every observa- 
tion, and examines every link in the chain of his 
reasoning until he has found everything sound be- 
fore he reaches his conclusions. Therefore, if he 
encounters a seeming contradiction of a known 
law, he does not rest until he has discovered the 
flaw in either his premises or his conclusion. 

One spring, several years ago, we watched the 
careful researches of a scientist into the physical 
characteristics of a beautiful lake in Wisconsin. 




Fig. 20. An example of fine texture, concave mouth and chin 



ANALYZING THE MAN 177 

Among other things, he learned to his astonish- 
ment that the water on the surface of the lake, and 
for perhaps a few feet below, was several degrees 
colder than the water in the bottom of the lake. 
Now, it is a law of physics that the specific gravity 
of cold water is greater than the specific gravity of 
warm water. In popular language, cold water is 
heavier than warm water. Therefore the cold 
water should have been at the bottom of the lake, 
and the warm water upon the surface. For a time 
the scientist was puzzled. Here was an important 
apparent exception to a known and demonstrable 
physical law. Carefully and painstakingly the 
scientist took the temperature readings in all parts 
of the surface and deeper waters of the lake, veri- 
fying his original findings. The results were the 
same. With equal care he went over every link 
in his chain of reasoning regarding the phenomenon 
trying to discover if possible a cause for the seem- 
ing contradiction. Finally he told us: "The con- 
dition is an unusual one. There has been prac- 
tically no wind for several days. The lake has no 
large inlet. Two weeks of low atmospheric tem- 
perature, following a month of unusually warm 
weather, have cooled the surface waters. There 
being no wind and very little inflowing water to set 
up currents, the cold water on the top and the 
warm water underneath are in a state of equihbrium. 



178 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

and until there is some other force applied to set 
up convection currents this heavy mass of cold 
water will stand balanced, as it were, upon the 
lighter mass of warm water underneath. The 
weather bureau reports fresh southwesterly winds 
to-morrow, and by to-morrow night I expect to 
find the cold water at the bottom of the lake and 
the warm water on the surface. And all day to- 
morrow you will find strong convection currents 
flowing upward on the southwest side of the lake, 
and downward on the northeast side." He was 
right. The next day he was able to show us by 
pieces of paper suspended in the water the cur- 
rents he had promised, while registering thermome- 
ters in different parts of the lake indicated that the 
rest of his predictions had come to pass. 

In a similar way, the truly scientific observer of 
human nature is never disconcerted by any appar- 
ent contradictions of its laws, but continues his 
investigations until he finds out why. The im- 
portance of carefully weighing the indications of 
each of the nine variables, and the significance of 
their combination in the individual, may be made 
clear by a chemical analogy. 

A CHEMICAL ANALOGY 

A student of chemistry may learn all the char- 
acteristics of oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen, but 



ANALYZING THE MAN 179 

he may know nothing of the attributes of their 
many compounds until he has learned the signifi- 
cance of their combination in different proportions. 
Just as all human beings exhibit combinations of 
the nine variables mentioned, so all carbohydrates 
are combinations of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon. 
Just as carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen in one com- 
pound give us fiery, poisonous carbolic acid, and 
in different proportions sweet, healing honey, so 
the nine elements combined in certain proportions 
may make of one man a degenerate, thief, and 
murderer, and of another man a patriotic and phil- 
anthropic citizen. 

The analogy may be carried even further. Oxy- 
gen is a gas lighter than air, colourless, slightly 
acid in odour and taste. Hydrogen is also a gas 
very much lighter than air, colourless, odourless, 
and tasteless. Carbon is a solid, and usually hard, 
dense, and black. None of the characteristics of 
any of these three elements is to be found in but- 
ter, molasses, phenacetin, or oil of peppermint. 
Yet these three, and these three only, are in the 
substances named. 

In a similar way, combinations of the nine ele- 
ments of human character in different proportions 
yield characteristics not indicated by any one of 
the nine. For example, a man's honesty, his dis- 
position to loyalty, his industry, his carefulness, 



180 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

his conscientious accuracy, and many other such 
quahties cannot be determined by an observation 
of any one of these nine variants alone, but can be 
unerringly appraised by careful observation and 
analysis of the proportions in which the qualities 
indicated by the nine elements are combined. 

It is abundantly clear, from the foregoing, that 
the character analyst who attempted to judge of 
the qualifications of any applicant for a position 
merely because he was of fine texture and blond 
complexion, would go as far wrong as a chemist 
who analyzed a carbohydrate quantitatively for 
carbon and hydrogen, but neglected to do more 
than determine the presence of oxygen. 

Camphor and olive oil have approximately the 
same proportion each of carbon and hydrogen, but 
because of a slight difference in proportion of 
oxygen, and in the manner of their combination, 
one is aromatic, strong to the taste, and poisonous, 
while the other is mild, soothing, and nourishing. 

So two men may be almost exact counterparts of 
each other in texture, size, form, colour, and con- 
sistency, but on account of a difference in propor- 
tion, expression, and condition, one will be a lazy, 
shiftless, careless, irresponsible burden upon so- 
ciety, and the other a successful financier. 



CHAPTER IX 

ANALYZING THE MAN — PRACTICAL APPLICATION 

THERE ought to be a high membership ideal 
for every plant, no newcomer admitted who 
is not fit in every way, no man cut off ex- 
cept for cause. . . . If it is a duty to exclude 
the morally unfit, it is also a duty to exclude more 
vigorously from any particular occupation those 
who are congenitally unfitted to make a success of 
it. A blind man may become a self-supporting, 
useful, and successful member of society; a man 
born without legs may become the successful owner 
and operator of a livery stable, driving, harnessing, 
and unharnessing horses; but a blind man cannot 
act as lookout on an ocean steamer, the deaf man 
cannot lead an orchestra, and the legless man can- 
not become a foot racer." — Harrington Emer- 
son.* 

In applying character analysis to the problems 
of employment the ideals are: First, to ascertain 
the health, aptitudes, traits, tendencies, disposi- 
tion, character, habits, training, and experience of 

*"Twdve Principles of EflBciency," pages 154-5. 
181 



182 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

each applicant as expeditiously and easily as pos- 
sible; second, to verify, check up, and compare all 
available data in such a way as to leave the least 
possible probability of error; third, to record the 
results of this observation and analysis in permanent 
form for future guidance and comparative study. 
That these ideals may be realized we have devised 
and, after much experimentation, brought to their 
present form the Analysis Blank shown on page 86 
and the Application Blank shown on pages 82 and 83. 

THE ANALYSIS BLANK 

When this blank has been filled out by a compe- 
tent examiner, any other worker in the employment 
department who understands the cipher gleans 
from it such an accurate mental picture of the ap- 
plicant that, in many cases, he could very easily 
pick him out of a crowd. In this respect, it some- 
what resembles the portrait parte or "word pic- 
ture" devised by Bertillion, by means of which an 
expert recognizes the subject even more surely than 
he could by means of a photograph. As will be 
seen, the space for conclusions gives the widest 
possible latitude to the interviewer. It is to be 
filled out according to the class and type of appli- 
cant, the position he is to take, the character of his 
future activities, and any other pertinent considera- 
tions. 



ANALYZING THE MAN 183 

This blank provides for the observation in the 
applicant of each of the nine variables. Colour 
is observed in the hair, eyes, skin, and beard, since 
in detailed analysis each has its significance. Form 
also is observed in the eyes, nose, mouth, and chin. 
The relative degree of development of the mental, 
motive, and vital elements is indicated; as are also 
texture and consistency. The capacity of intellect 
is an important observation. A good employment 
expert knows better than to recommend a man for 
a position for which he has either too great or too 
little intelligence. Proportion, expression, and con- 
dition of body and dress are each recorded. 

When the interviewer has reached his conclusion, 
he sets down the applicant's strongest and best 
qualities, listed here as positives; also his weakest 
qualities, listed here as negatives. There are cer- 
tain negatives which handicap a man for any work, 
and it is necessary to keep a record of these when 
they are found, and of the degree of deficiency in 
each case. 

Under "recommendations" the interviewer states 
his best judgment as the result of his observations 
of and conversation with the applicant, taking into 
consideration not only his record upon the analysis 
blank, but also the information given by the appli- 
cant himself upon the application blank, and what is 
revealed in his interview. 



184 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

CHECKING AND COMPARING DATA 

In arriving at the conclusions entered upon the 
analysis blank, much valuable data are obtained 
from the application blank, and from the responses 
of the applicant to the questions on the reverse of 
it. These questions bring out, indirectly, informa- 
tion by which the interviewer's observations may 
be verified — or modified, as the case may be. 
Just at this point it hardly seems necessary to state 
that no applicant is asked to write anything or 
answer any question if he shows any disinclination 
to do so. It is the purpose of this plan to avoid as 
far as possible anything that savours of the third 
degree, grilling the applicant, asking him embar- 
rassing questions, prying into his private affairs, or 
otherwise alarming or offending him. As a general 
rule, we have found that when kindly treated, appli- 
cants willingly fill out these blanks and answer all 
questions. 

Studied in the light of experience and knowledge, 
this application blank reveals much. The manner 
in which the applicant answers the questions put 
to him by the interviewer is carefully noted and 
considered. When a man writes his name, address, 
and other items, he tells far more about himself 
than he thinks. Like voice, handwriting is an ex- 
pression of character. Among other indications, 
a man's writing shows his expertness with a pen. 



xiNALYZING THE MAN 185 

While this is not always essential, yet well-trained 
fingers show at least latent ability to handle small 
tools of any kind. The rapidity with which he fills 
in the blank will indicate, to some degree, his quick- 
ness of thought. 

It is obviously important to have the appli- 
cant's name. Aside from this, there is much in a 
name. As a general rule, a man has no choice in 
the matter of his name. He may receive from his 
parents by inheritance and by gift the appellative 
John Smith, or he may be more gaudily decorated 
with Reginald Algernon de la Rey. But the one 
may appear in after life as Ivan Smyth, and the 
other as R. A. Delarey. The man who was known 
to the world as Grover Cleveland w^as named Ste- 
phen Grover Cleveland by his parents, and Wood- 
row Wilson began life as Thomas Woodrow Wilson. 

Nationality: However much we wish it other- 
wise, race and national prejudices and hatreds are 
significant, fundamental, and stubborn facts. Even 
those from different sections of the same country 
are often antagonistic and will not work well to- 
gether. It is dangerous to place north Italians 
and south Italians in the same gang. Germans 
and Englishmen do not harmonize readily, nor do 
Irishmen and negroes. An acquaintance with in- 
ternational affinities and enmities will be a great 
help in placing men. 



186 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

Religion: In the same way, and for the same rea- 
son, it is often desirable to know the reHgion of the 
appHcant. Roman CathoHcs will work best under 
a foreman of their own belief. In no case is it wise 
to place in charge of others any man who makes 
himself obnoxious because of his intense religious 
beliefs. Both national feeling and religion are 
products of the emotions. Emotions when aroused 
are like dynamite — dangerous explosives. Frank 
B. Gilbreth says: "A bond of sympathy between the 
workmen and the people who are to occupy the 
edifice upon which they are working will also in- 
crease the output."* 

Date of Birth: Many firms make it a hard-and- 
fast rule not to employ men beyond a certain age. 
Years are not always the test of a man's age. 
Youthfulness is of the spirit and is not measured 
by calendars and birthdays. The man who looks 
young for his years is usually advancing. He who 
looks older than he should is slipping backward. 

Height and Weight: The height and weight of 
men in connection with their work should also be 
considered. See page 159. 

Single or Married: Happily married men, other 
things being equal, do the best work. They are 
more permanent. Bachelors come next. The man 
with serious domestic trouble is least efficient and 

*" Motion Study," page 15. 



ANALYZING THE MAN 187 

least satisfactory of all. Therefore, in selecting 
men for important positions, it is an essential 
to know something of their domestic relations. 
This is not difficult to ascertain by indirect methods 
if the interviewer is tactful and sympathetic. A 
man's ambitions for his home and for permanent 
employment throw light on his family relations. 
The man may be single yet have a large family 
dependent upon him; hence the next inquiry. 

Ever Employed Here: If a man has been em- 
ployed by the firm before, and there is an adequate 
system of records, it will be possible to learn how he 
performed. Under this plan there will be complete 
data concerning him. In the absence of such in- 
formation, it is important to know why he left and 
why he wishes to return. 

Position Wanted: The applicant may be ap- 
plying for a position far beneath his abilities — or 
far beyond them. Or he may be applying for work 
in one department when his talents fit him espe- 
cially for another. The interviewer should discover 
such errors by weighing the evidence with the re- 
quirements of the position in mind. 

Permanent or Temporary: It is also for the in- 
terviewer to determine whether this is a "tempo- 
rary" man seeking a permanent position, or not. 

Positives and Negatives: Perhaps no part of this 
blank has aroused greater curiosity or more com- 



188 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

ment than the Hst of "positives" and "negatives." 
The head of a prominent employment agency was 
moved almost to tears in his pity for our innocence 
and credulity in making this list a part of our blank. 
" Why ! " he mourned, "any man would lie on a prop- 
osition of that kind. He wants the job and is 
willing to do anything to get it. Naturally he will 
put his best foot forward and hand himself every 
positive quality on the list. You never can find 
out anything about men that way." 

This list of positives and negatives is not sub- 
mitted to applicants for the purpose of obtaining 
direct information from them. The man who 
calmly and without hesitation assigns to himself 
all the desirable qualities and none of the undesir- 
able, gives to the trained observer just as valuable 
and just as accurate information about himself as 
does the man who painstakingly, with much intro- 
spection and an excess of truthfulness, checks the 
good qualities he thinks he possesses in sufiicient 
degree to entitle him to credit for them, and such 
bad qualities as he considers himself guilty of, or 
the man who scratches his head, hesitates, and 
doubts his ability to check them correctly. It is 
also an interesting fact that the man who takes the 
most pains to be honest in checking up this list 
oftentimes gives us far less reliable information, so 
far as his check marks are concerned, than does the 



ANALYZING THE MAN 189 

man who nonchalantly accredits himself with all 
the virtues. 

Not infrequently it happens that an applicant 
in all honesty credits himself with positives he does 
not possess, and charges himself with negatives ut- 
terly foreign to his nature. In short, the impor- 
tant feature of this part of the application blank is 
not the positives or the negatives checked but the 
reaction of the applicant to this list. 

It is a simple and easy enough deduction that 
the man who swiftly and cheerfully strings a row of 
marks alongside the positive qualities is of somewhat 
easy conscience and willing to take chances; that 
the man who painstakingly and carefully checks 
some positives and some negatives is careful, con- 
scientious, conservative, cautious, and somewhat 
inclined to be slow and deliberate. The man who 
too easily checks all of the negatives is either a hypo- 
crite or is lacking in self -appreciation. The man 
who credits himself with good qualities, and charges 
himself with bad qualities erroneously, is either 
wanting in introspection, simply careless, or has 
ideals so high that one departure from perfection 
causes him to count himself lacking. 

Some applicants are simply appalled at this 
list. *'Why," they say, "I haven't any idea how 
to check myself. I don 't even know how to begin. 
I don't know about myself. I would rather you'd 



190 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

hire me and find out." Others ask for counsel in 
checking the list. 

Thus in many ways applicants reveal in some 
measure their characters, their aptitudes, and their 
habits as they react to this list of positives and neg- 
atives. A good example of this is to be found in 
the autobiographies of great men, particularly 
scientists, engineers, and scholars. Sir Francis 
Galton, Prof. Simon Newcomb, Sir Henry Bes- 
semer, and Cardinal Newman told the truth about 
themselves in their autobiographies. Cellini's au- 
tobiography is a good example of the opposite type. 
He was an artist but a braggart, and his autobi- 
ography teems with self-praise. 

NOT ALL APPLICANTS QUESTIONED 

It would seem that any person of ordinary in- 
telligence would know that these questions are 
suggested to the employment supervisor and his 
assistants merely as a guide and not as a hard-and- 
fast schedule. And yet we have been most entertain- 
ingly pictured as inquiring of an Italian immigrant 
seeking a position as wielder of pick and shovel: 
*'In school what study did you like best.'^" and "If 
you could have any position you wished for, what 
would it be.'^" When we devised these questions, 
as the result of many years' experience, we did so 
in the hope that those who used them in examining 



ANALYZING THE MAN 191 

applicants would do so with common sense. We 
have not been disappointed. 

Two of the questions we ask, when their use is 
indicated, are these: *'What kind of work do you 
like best?" and "If you could have any position 
you wished for, what would it he?" It is ex- 
pected that these questions should be used in ex- 
amining young men, to ascertain whether or not 
they have any well-defined idea as to what they 
wish to become. They are to be asked after the 
interviewer has established relations of fullest con- 
fidence with the applicant, so that he is thoroughly 
at his ease and willing to talk about his ambitions. 
A man's ideal is the most important thing about 
him. It does more to determine his value and ulti- 
mate success than any other one element in his char- 
acter. Some men, however, tell us of their great 
ambition, and yet apply for a job that does not lead 
toward it. There is a vast difference between mere, 
limp wishing and strong, definite purpose. Oc- 
casionally a man seeks a position seemingly incon- 
sistent with his ideals but really bearing directly 
upon their realization. A man who is ambitious 
as a writer on economics for business men once 
sought a position as salesman that he might learn 
something about the economics of distribution. 
His ambition was perfectly legitimate, but under 
the circumstances it was not deemed advisable to 



192 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

spend the time and money necessary to train and 
prepare him merely for temporary work as salesman. 
In a similar way, each of the questions suggested, 
when wisely put and its answer intelligently inter- 
preted, is of great value. 

DEALING WITH UNTRUTHFULNESS 

In putting these questions and all others to ap- 
plicants, it is always to be borne in mind that many 
men, through ignorance or bad training or unfor- 
tunate environment, are untruthful. Perhaps one 
of the most potent causes of this untruthfulness, 
especially among less intelligent workmen, is that 
they have been so discourteously and brutally 
treated by some employers that they think they 
are obliged to lie in order to secure employment. 
While at first it is necessary for an employment 
supervisor and his staff to be on their guard lest 
they be deceived, experience has abundantly shown 
that kind treatment, justice, and patient instruction 
soon make most of these men fairly reliable and 
many of them trustworthy. Until such results 
are obtained, however, methods must be used which 
will ascertain the truth. And the only safe, effec- 
tive method known to us is careful, intelligent ob- 
servation of external signs which the man can 
neither change nor conceal — in fact, which he does 
not even know can be observed. 



ANALYZING THE MAN 193 

Many foreigners, new to our ways, give to their 
employers so many different names that it is some- 
times a question whether some of them know what 
their true names are. It is no uncommon thing for 
a labourer, discharged from one department in the 
morning, to apply for work in another department 
by a different name in the afternoon. Where there 
are day and night gangs we have known men to 
work in the day gang by one name, and in the night 
gang by another. "When do they sleep?" you 
ask. During the time they are supposed to be at 
work. One such versatile fellow, a Syrian, seemed 
absolutely unable to understand that he had done 
any wrong in making such an arrangement. 

ABOUT PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS 

We have frequently been asked whether we use 
psychological tests. Where undesirable publicity 
has made a feature of the analysis work of an em- 
ployment department it is difficult enough to allay 
the suspicions of the average applicant and get him 
to fill out an application blank. One can imagine 
what it would be like to get his sincere cooperation 
in a series of elaborate psychological tests. Fur- 
thermore, we have faithfully tried many psycho- 
logical tests and have found either that it was so 
difficult to maintain ideal conditions that the re- 
sults were negative and unreliable, or that when 



194 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

the results were reliable they could have been far 
more easily obtained by observation. 

But, even granting that psychological tests were 
easily applied, that they were reliable and gave in- 
formation not otherwise obtainable, no psycho- 
logical tests have yet been devised to determine a 
man's honesty, his good nature, his industry, his 
cheerfulness, his courtesy, or any one of many other 
most important qualifications. There are some 
positions where tests of hearing and vision are nec- 
essary, and in these cases we use them. But for 
practically all other aptitudes, and for all traits of 
character, we repeat, the only safe and effective 
method is trained observation. 

DRAWING CONCLUSIONS 

The practical and perhaps the most difficult part 
of our problem confronts us when, having com- 
pleted our analysis of the man, we undertake to fit 
him to his job. In the solution of this part of our 
problem the best possible guide is common sense 
enlightened by intelligently interpreted experience. 

There are many factors in this problem. Here 
are the analyses of the different jobs in the organi- 
zation, each with its physical, intellectual, and psy- 
chical requirements. Here is the analysis of the 
man, showing his physical, intellectual, and psychi- 
cal qualifications. Here are the requisitions for 



ANALYZING THE MAN 195 

men from executives, showing which of the positions 
in the organization are available. A process of 
elimination rapidly narrows the choice down to a 
very few. If the man is a pronounced blond, then 
all positions requiring close application, sustained 
activity, slow, plodding, patient effort are elimi- 
nated. If the man is concave in form, then all those 
positions requiring aggressiveness, keenness, alert- 
ness, energy, and a sense of the practical are dropped 
from consideration. If the man is small in size, 
then all those positions requiring slow, powerful, 
rhythmical action are out of the question. If the 
applicant is of very fine texture, then all positions 
in harsh, unlovely environment, which require 
handling heavy, coarse materials or tools, and con- 
stant association with those of coarse texture and 
crude manners will not fit. If the applicant is of 
hard consistency, then positions requiring sym- 
pathy, gentleness, and adaptability are unfitted for 
his type. If the applicant lacks endurance or care- 
fulness or ambition or courage, or any of the quali- 
ties indicated by variations in proportion, then 
positions requiring the exercise of these qualities 
must be eliminated. If the applicant 's expression 
shows him to be pessimistic, then any position 
which requires hopefulness and cheerfulness is not 
for him. If the applicant 's condition of body and 
dress show him to have careless, slack, slovenly 



196 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

habits, then any position requiring neatness, ac- 
curacy, order, cleanHness, and careful attention to 
details must be excluded. Constant practice soon 
enables the employment supervisor and his assist- 
ants to make these eliminations quickly — almost 
instantaneously. In fact, while reading about it 
may make the operation of this plan seem slow and 
cumbersome, in actual practice it is swift and con- 
venient.* 

*The report of the employment department in the company for 

January, 1913, indicates the amount of work that can be done by a small 
force under this plan. During this month, in addition to the employment 
supervisor, there were two interviewers for shop applicants, one interviewer 
for office applicants, and one stenographer in the department. The fol- 
lowing is the record: 





For Shop 


For Offices 


Total 


Interviewed 


1,601 


391 


1,992 


Applications taken in office 


294 


137 


431 


Referred to foremen 


299 


84 


383 


Rejected by foremen 


5 





5 


Rejected by employment department 


231 


74 


305 


Hired 


277 


85 


362 


Removed from pay-roll 


317 


23 


340 


Transferred 


206 


37 


243 


Rates changed 


150 


48 


198 


Applications by mail 






231 


Rejections by mail 






49 



It may be said in explanation of these figures that the employment de- 
partment in this company had been installed but a comparatively short 
time. Extensive reconstruction and reorganization had been begun before 
the installation of the department, owing to the introduction of efficiency 
standards, a change from piece rates to the bonus system of payment, and 
other causes. For these reasons the number removed from the pay-roll, 
transferred, and changed in rate is very high. However, only six months 
earlier, before reorganization and reconstruction were begun, and when there 
was no employment department, the number removed from the pay-roll 
every month averaged 550. In order to maintain the force an equal number 
were hired each month. Therefore, even under the stress of sweeping changes 
in policy and methods, for which it was not responsible, the employment 
department was able to reduce the number of monthly changes in the pay- 
roll more than 30 per cent. 



ANALYZING THE MAN 197 

The process of elimination having greatly simpli- 
fied the problem, it remains to determine for which 
of the few available positions the applicant is best 
fitted. If the applicant is of moderate natural 
abilities and attainments, and the available posi- 
tions are comparatively simple in their require- 
ments, the problem is not a difficult one. When, 
however, the applicant is a man of unusual ability, 
either latent or highly developed, and there are va- 
cancies with high requirements, the fitting of the 
man to his job often calls for a high degree of intel- 
ligence and judicial capacity. Then it is that many 
of the refinements of analysis and a careful inter- 
pretation of the significance of the combination of 
the nine variables in the individual come into play. 

HOW THE PLAN WORKS 

To many who pride themselves on being "prac- 
tical" this no doubt seems theoretical and futile. 
There is a feeling on the part of many able employers 
that there is a subtle something about human beings 
that defies analysis, and that the most carefully 
planned and executed system of analysis is more 
likely than not to miss altogether, while the 
practical man who relies on his intuition makes a 
good choice more frequently than does the scien- 
tific analyst. Such a feeling is perfectly natural 
and justifiable. Any mere theoretical system based 



198 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

upon one or two or even four or five variables 
would thus come to grief when put to the test. 
But a system of analysis based not upon theory but 
worked out as the result of years of practical ex- 
perience, and taking into consideration not a few 
things, but everything about a man, simply utilizes 
scientifically the substance of the practical man's 
intuitions, as he calls them, and in addition a great 
deal of organized, classified, and verified knowledge. 
Those who make careful use of this plan may, 
and do, make occasional blunders, but they are not 
guilty of glaring ones in fitting the man to his job 
and to his environment. They do not place a ner- 
vous, high-strung, sensitive, temperamental man 
under a harsh, loud-voiced, unsympathetic, hard, 
driving, superior executive. Since they can easily 
determine the degree and quality of an applicant's 
honesty, they have never yet given a gambler, a 
man of great shrewdness and cunning, with a pas- 
sion for money, deficient conscience, and weak will, 
or a plain, deliberate crook, charge of cash. They 
do not send a lazy, apathetic, unsociable, and easily 
discouraged man out on the road as salesman. 
They do not recommend the employment of crude, 
coarse-textured, rough and ill-mannered men for 
positions where they come constantly in contact 
with a discriminating public. They do not put a 
restless, volatile, eager, liberty loving, and intensely 



ANALYZING THE MAN 199 

active individual into a job which ties him down to 
a careful handling of minute details, monotonous 
routine, and exasperating annoyances. They do 
not recommend as an executive a man of weak per- 
sonality or deficient sense of justice or unreliable 
temper or a disagreeable aloofness of manner. Per- 
haps it is not too much to say that selections very 
much like these are not altogether unknown where 
"practical" methods are in use. 

Character analysis by the observational method 
is not infallible; nor can it ever be infallible so long 
as its conclusions must rest upon the fallible obser- 
vations and judgment of mere human beings. But 
in so far as observation can be trained by practice, 
and in so far as judgment can be enlightened by 
knowledge and experience, to just that degree can 
the science of character analysis by the observa- 
tional method be made a safe, sane, practical basis 
for the selection, assignment, management, and 
education of employees. 



CHAPTER X 

THE BOSS 

"I do not like thee, Dr. Fell. 
The reason why I cannot tell. 
But this I know, and know full well, 
I do not like thee. Dr. Fell. 

THE old rhyme expresses a common human 
experience. We all have our likes and our 
dislikes. We are attracted to some people 
and repelled by others. We naturally harmonize 
with some and are in a state of constant friction 
and discord with others. 

This principle of attraction or repulsion, har- 
mony or discord operates not only among human 
beings but is universal. Watch your dog as he 
follows you on a tramp into the country. Notice 
his behaviour with the other dogs he meets. As 
soon as he sees some dogs his tail begins to wag and 
within a few minutes they are friendly. He ap- 
proaches other dogs growling, with his teeth show- 
ing and his hair bristling. Observe carefully and 
you will see the same likes and dislikes among 
horses, cats, birds, and even insects. 

200 



THE BOSS 201 

The principle holds good in inanimate nature. 
Some chemicals have a powerful affinity for each 
other. Others are utterly unresponsive. Still others 
are dangerous and explosive when brought together. 
Musical tones may produce harmony or discord. 

There are some likes and dislikes of ours that we 
can explain. We dislike this man because he is 
narrow and bigoted, and that man because he is a 
braggart. We like one of our friends because he is 
good-natured and diplomatic, and another because 
he is charmingly deferential and courteous. But 
many of our likes and dislikes are mysteries. They 
are cases of Dr. Fell. 

In a similar way, the uninformed man does not 
understand the attractions and repulsions among 
animals. He does not know just why chemicals 
react to one another so differently. And he can 
give no satisfactory explanation of the reasons for 
harmony and discord in musical tones. 

But, if the layman does not know why musical 
tones produce harmony or discord, the musician 
does. If the man in the street does not know why 
chemicals behave toward one another as they do, 
the chemist does. In like manner, if you cannot 
tell why you do not like Dr. Fell, the thoughtful 
observer and student of human nature can. If he 
has seen both you and Dr. Fell, he knows before 
you raeet that you will not like the Doctor. 



202 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

ANALYSIS REVEALS CAUSES OF INHARMONY 

These phenomena of harmony and inharmony 
are not accidents or coincidences. In a universe 
where law is supreme nothing just happens. For 
every effect there must be an adequate cause. 
Since there are causes for Hkes and dishkes, analy- 
sis can hunt them out, classify them, note their in- 
dications, and safely predicate their operation. 
With a knowledge of such causes, the observer and 
thinker can work out a table of affinities as com- 
plete, although perhaps not so definite and exact, 
as a table of chemical affinities. 

The practical value of such knowledge in employ- 
ment is obviously great. So little are the perfectly 
natural causes of harmony and discord between 
individuals understood that we blame the man who 
cannot get along with his superior, or perhaps the 
superior who is always having trouble with his 
men. It is perfectly human and largely excusable 
for an executive to think that the employee he dis- 
likes is inefficient, insolent, and insubordinate, or 
that in some other perfectly indefensible way he is 
to blame. And it is just as human and just as ex- 
cusable for the employee to believe that the boss he 
can't get along with "has it in for him," is jealous 
of him, won 't give him a fair deal, and is ignorant, 
unjust, and incompetent. No one knows better 
than the employer how distressing and wasteful 



THE BOSS 203 

are these feuds between executives, great and small, 
and their men. 

DESTRUCTIVE EFFECT OF INHARMONY 

Few conditions throw sand into the bearings of 
an industrial or commercial machine like inhar- 
mony. The least of all wastes due to this cause is 
the inability of the executive to arouse and inspire 
to superior efforts the man who hates or despises 
him. Worse than this are the slackening bonds of 
discipline, the stirring up of negative, destructive 
thoughts and feelings in both superior and subor- 
dinate, the waste of energy in friction, misunder- 
standings, and other causes of inefficiency. Even 
worse in some respects than these effects is the fact 
that the institution is being continually drained of 
valuable human assets. If the executive dislikes 
a man he eventually discharges him, and, by an un- 
written law in most institutions, that man cannot 
after that be employed in any department. And 
yet every employer knows full well that many a 
valuable man has been lost in this way. It is for 
this very reason that executives, otherwise all but 
impossible, have sometimes been retained in the 
service because they have the faculty of tying their 
men together and to themselves with cords of un- 
breakable loyalty. 

As this is being written, a great and disastrous 



204 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

strike is in progress in some English cotton mills as 
the result of friction between a foreman and his 
subordinates. Every close student of industrial 
history knows that such strikes are by no means 
infrequent. The average employer throws his hu- 
man chemicals together at random. He has no idea, 
until he tries them out, whether they will mingle 
in an efficient compound, or neutralize each other 
and become inert, or form a corrosive poison that 
will eat the vitals out of his business, or explode and 
blow the whole organization into pieces so scattered 
that they are difficult to reassemble. 

WHO IS THE BOSS? 

The properly qualified and trained employment 
supervisor, having determined the right man for 
the right job, assigns him to the right boss. In 
this classification, the word "boss" is used to des- 
ignate the man's immediate superior, whether he 
be general manager, manager, superintendent, de- 
partment manager, chief clerk, head bookkeeper, 
principal, foreman, gang-boss, or any other execu- 
tive. This is the boss with whom the man must 
work — must cooperate. The word boss, there- 
fore, refers to the individual executive as distinct 
from the management. 

There are many elements to be considered in the 
relationship between the man and the boss, between 



THE BOSS 205 

the boss and his men. We have mentioned har- 
mony, which is one of the most important if not 
the most important. Harmony between the man 
and the boss depends upon many things — among 
them the proportion and nature of positive and neg- 
ative elements of character in each. An extremely 
positive boss will not work harmoniously with ex- 
tremely positive or extremely negative men, and 
conversely. This fact will be readily recognized 
by any observant employer by a study of the fol- 
lowing analysis of the two types : 

POSITIVE OR DRIVING NEGATIVE OR DRAWING 



Keen 


Mild 


Quick 


Deliberate 


Domineering 


Persuasive 


Changeable 


Constant 


Impatient 


Patient 


Opinionated 


Teachable 


Excitable 


Calm 



The positive, driving type, if given men of his 
own degree of positiveness, will arouse antagonism 
and insubordination. The negative type, if given 
men of his own disposition, will fail to arouse en- 
thusiasm and stimulate action. Give the positive 
boss men several degrees more negative than him- 
self, and the negative boss men several degrees more 
positive than himself, and the result is harmony. 

One of the very best workmen we have ever 
known, a man in whom the characteristics classi- 



206 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

fied as "negative" predominated, we found suffer- 
ing in his accustomed silence under the stinging 
taunts of an executive of the extreme positive type. 
And the executive was suffering almost as much as 
his subordinate at the man 's extreme deliberation. 
His calm, unrufHed temper, his careful, methodical 
ways drove his high-strung, erratic, excitable boss 
almost to distraction. Upon our recommendation, 
this man was transferred to a boss only a little more 
positive than himself. The workman and both 
bosses were delighted with the change, and a val- 
uable man almost lost by discharge was saved to 
the institution. 

Another frequent cause of serious trouble is dif- 
ference in degree of sensitiveness. The extremely 
fine-textured, responsive individual often finds the 
tactlessness and lack of delicacy of the coarse tex- 
tured almost intolerable. 

SOME CAUSES OF INHARMONY AND THE METHOD OF 
CURE 

Narrow, bigoted, egotistical, and self-assertive 
men will invariably clash. Each wants to be right 
all the time and each takes the opposite view from 
the other as a matter of course. The boss who is 
deficient in sense of humour utterly fails to under- 
stand and cannot endure the pleasantries of a sub- 
ordinate who is full of jokes and pranks. The man 



THE BOSS 207 

of dignity, seriousness, and solemnity is always an- 
noyed by flippancy or a tendency to chafl&ng, es- 
pecially on the part of subordinates. A college 
president with no tolerance for student pranks is a 
good example. 

Experience teaches the observant that differences 
in nationality, in religion, in race, in various local 
allegiances, and in other matters often render the 
man and his boss incompatible. The boss whose 
one idea is work, hard, unrelenting, never-tiring 
work, often doing things in the hardest possible 
way, will not understand or tolerate the man whose 
ideal is efficiency, who seeks the best, easiest, and 
quickest ways — with sufficient periods of relaxa- 
tion. There are many possible causes of friction 
and misunderstanding — more than could be enu- 
merated. They depend somewhat upon the na- 
ture of the business, the character of employees, 
and the locality. It is the employment supervisor's 
duty to study these and learn to provide against 
them in the assignment of employees to foremen 
and other executives. 

The same considerations apply to a certain ex- 
tent to the association of employees together. 

The relationship between the man and his boss 
is one of the most important as well as the most 
difficult of all the factors in the employment prob- 
lem. One executive whose records we examined 



208 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

produced 62 units a week with a force of 122 men. 
His successor, under precisely the same conditions, 
and with the same grade of men, produced 123 
units a week with 39 men — a net increase in ef- 
ficiency of 620 per cent. In another case, a good 
executive increased the output 163 per cent, when 
given a force of men who were suited to his type. 
The increase in harmony and in the quahty of prod- 
uct was even greater, though not measurable in 
percentages. These examples are typical. 

No hard and fast rules for the solution of this 
problem can be laid down. Knowledge of human 
nature, sympathy, keen observation, alertness to 
conditions, careful study of compatibilities, sane 
common sense, sound, logical reasoning, good judg- 
ment, and singleness of purpose on the part of both 
management and employment department are the 
best guarantee of efficient assignment of men and 
bosses. 

The practical procedure of this feature of the work 
of the employment department is comparatively 
simple. As rapidly as possible, the employment 
supervisor interviews every executive in the organi- 
zation. In these interviews many subjects are 
discussed, bringing out various points of view, prej- 
udices, and idiosyncrasies of the executives. The 
real purpose of the interview, although they may 
not know it, is to give the employment supervisor 



THE BOSS 209 

an opportunity to make a careful analysis, and 
thus to determine their characters and dispositions. 
In these interviews employment supervisors have 
found executives who frankly stated that they would 
not tolerate Germans. Others have confessed a 
similar prejudice against negroes, Poles, Italians, 
Irishmen, etc. Frequently executives are found 
who prefer men of some one nationality. Some 
bosses prefer blonds; others prefer brunettes. A 
little tact and patience brings out all these pref- 
erences. 

SOME SAMPLE ANALYSES 

As the employment supervisor interviews and 
analyzes each executive he makes notes which are 
afterward crystallized into detailed and definite 
instructions for his own guidance and the guidance 
of each member of his staff, telling the kind of men 
preferred by each executive as well as the pet aver- 
sions of each. 

The following sample instructions taken from the 
records of an employment department show how 
this is done: 

FOUNDRY 

Assistant Superintendent — A. 

Requirements for men: 
Quickness 
Energy 



210 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

Will get along well with almost any man. 

Prefers Poles; second, Italians. 

Thinks Greeks too good for foundry work. 

PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT 

Foreman — W. L. 

Requirements for men: 
Quickness 
Keenness 
Accuracy 
Obedience 
Good nature 
Not too great sensitiveness. 

DRILL PRESS DEPARTMENT 

Foreman — H. 

Requirements for men : 
Obedience 
Teachableness 
Steadiness 
English-speaking Poles, English-speaking Hungarians, 

but no Syrians, Italians, or other foreigners. 
Inexperienced farmer boys preferred. 

SCREW MACHINE DEPARTMENT 

Foreman — A. S. 

Requirements for men: 
Youth 

Medium height 
Muscular build 
Americans preferred. 

PLANER AND SHAPER DEPARTMENTS 

Foreman — A. 

Requirements for men : 
Stocky, muscular build 



THE BOSS 211 

Brunette colour 

Germans or Poles preferred 

Apprentices about 18 years old to start on drill presses. 



TURRET LATHE DEPARTMENT 

Foreman — M. (Speaks German) 

Requirements for men: 
Slowness 
Calmness 
Dependableness 
Carefulness 
Patience 

For larger machines, should weigh about 160 lbs. 
For smaller machines, should weigh about 135 lbs. 
Prefers Americans. 



TRUCKING DEPARTMENT 

Foreman — H. G. 

Requirements for men: 
Physical strength 
Good sense of location 
Good sense of direction 
Good memory 

Americans or foreigners intelligent enough to read and 
write English 

ERECTING DEPARTMENT 

Foreman — Z. 

Requirements for men: 
Dependableness 
Slowness 
Steadiness 
Reliability 
Brunette colour 
(Doesn't like nervous men). 



212 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

IMPORTANCE OF THE BOSS 

One of the most heart-breaking phases of employ- 
ment work is the spending of time and money in 
securing, analyzing, selecting, and assigning valu- 
able employees, only to see them spoiled and their 
usefulness to the organization all but ruined by an 
incompetent boss. This, too, is often one of the 
most difficult problems to solve. Business insti- 
tutions are not ideal. Perhaps there are good rea- 
sons why conditions which seem ideal from the 
point of view of employment are not ideal measures 
of business expediency. Whatever the cause, it 
is often impossible to replace every undesirable and 
incompetent executive with a desirable one. In 
such cases the employment supervisor must make 
the best of the situation — assigning employees 
with all the wisdom at his command. Here, how- 
ever, is a situation which will repay the most earn- 
est study on the part of any management which 
protects and sustains, for any reason, executives who 
have a record of frequent changes in the personnel 
of their departments, and complain that their work 
suffers because they cannot secure or keep good 
men. 

However needful to select efficient employees 
for the rank and file, it is far more needful to place 
good men and women in authority, high and low. 
An efficient executive can secure good results from 



THE BOSS 213 

mediocre men; but an incompetent executive will 
nullify the ability of the best of men. Napoleon 's 
victory at Austerlitz was not because he had supe- 
rior troops — nor was his defeat at Waterloo due to 
inferior soldiers. Alexander's thirty thousand at 
Issus were no better men than Darius' million — 
the difference was between Napoleon in 1805 
and Napoleon in 1815 — between Alexander and 
Darius. 



CHAPTER XI 

THE EMPLOYMENT SUPERVISOR AND HIS STAFF 

THE success of any employment plan de- 
pends largely upon the aptitudes, character, 
and training of the employment supervisor. 
A competent supervisor, well qualified for his work 
by character and disposition, makes a fair success 
even with a poor plan. A supervisor unfitted for 
his work cannot succeed even with the best plan 
that could be devised. In choosing an employ- 
ment supervisor we seek first of all one who under- 
stands people, sympathizes with them, and truly 
loves his fellow-men. 

UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN NATURE 

Some people are naturally good judges of human 
nature. These can easily acquire the scientific 
training necessary to convert fairly accurate guesses 
into definite knowledge. We have selected and 
installed employment supervisors who, within six 
months, had so far supplemented their natural gifts 
with special training as to make them excellent 
judges of aptitudes and character. The man who 

214 



EMPLOYMENT SUPERVISOR 215 

understands people usually sympathizes with and 
loves them. Because he loves to deal with them 
and to come in contact with them, he is eflScient 
and successful. 

SYMPATHY 

We have looked on in admiration at the kindli- 
ness, tact, and sympathy of a young employment 
supervisor of but four or five months' experience as 
he dealt with the complicated situations brought 
before him for adjustment. His calm, unruffled, 
gentle demeanour, his quick understanding of mo- 
tives and emotions, and his scientific knowledge 
as to how to deal with them straightened out tan- 
gles and hard knots and adjusted differences and 
difficulties. 

An employment supervisor of this kind sets the 
pace for his entire staff and is himself the spirit 
of his entire department. The moment an appli- 
cant or employee enters such a department he feels 
that he is among those who understand him and who 
are his friends. Not only employees in the rank 
and file, but foremen, heads of departments, and 
even higher executives soon get into the habit of 
going to such an employment supervisor, not only 
in the regular routine of business, but for counsel, 
encouragement, and assistance in solving their prob- 
lems. 



216 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

TACTFULNESS 

One who loves men and understands them will 
usually have the quality of tadfulness and the fac- 
ulty of putting others at their ease, but this is not 
always the case. In the selection of an employ- 
ment supervisor this quality is definitely considered 
apart from any other. In order to judge men fairly 
and accurately in all respects one must study them 
when they are at ease and expressing themselves 
naturally and normally. It is the practice of some 
employers to summon applicants before them and 
then, assuming a fierce expression and harsh voice, 
to grill them unmercifully — a method which usu- 
ally adds greatly to the employer's good opinion 
of himself and his pleasure in his own performances, 
but which is effective, too, in eliminating from 
consideration all but the most brazen and thick- 
skinned. That such applicants often turn out to 
be deceivers and trouble makers, and therefore the 
least desirable of all possible employees, is suflScient 
commentary on this method. Since it is the con- 
structive thought and feeling of workers we desire, 
that employment supervisor is most efficient who 
most successfully inspires such thought and feeling 
in the employee from the moment he enters the 
institution to make application for work. Further- 
more, it is by tactfulness that confidence is gained 
and harmonious relations begun. 



EMPLOYMENT SUPERVISOR 217 

TEACHABLENESS 

Having satisfied ourselves that our prospective 
employment supervisor has these desirable intel- 
lectual and social qualities, we next consider his 
teachableness. 

We have found it possible to accomplish almost 
anything with a man who has a pliable, youthful 
mind, no matter what his years, who has a broad 
outlook on life, and who never seems to forget that 
his sum of knowledge, be it little or great, is a mere 
atom in the mass of what may be learned. When 
we find a man who knows that new discoveries to- 
morrow may render obsolete the highest wisdom of 
to-day — especially his own — and who, therefore, 
is not only receptive of but eager for more and 
more truth, we are very hopeful of him, no matter 
what may be his other qualifications or lack of them. 
An employment supervisor works with human 
beings in whom there is constant variation. He is 
applying the principles of a comparatively new sci- 
ence to which additions are being made constantly. 
He is likely to find himself dealing with subordinates 
and associates who consider that they have learned 
all that can be learned about their business. 

For all these reasons, it is highly important that 
an employment supervisor should not only be 
teachable, but that he should be the kind of man 
who will never lose this quality of teachableness. 



218 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

JUDICIAL MIND 

Sit for half a day in the office of a successful 
employment supervisor and you will be impressed 
with the essentially judicial quality of his mind. 

First, there comes an applicant desiring work. 
The applicant presents to the best of his ability 
evidence of his fitness. In the candidate as he 
stands there, the keen eye of the employment 
supervisor sees elements of both fitness and unfit- 
ness; he sees certain qualities which would fit the 
applicant for one kind of work, and other qualities 
which would fit him for another. In addition to 
these considerations, there may be recommenda- 
tions from former employers, or even from foremen 
or department heads in the organization who wish 
the man employed in their departments. And so 
there is presented in one form or another evidence 
for the man, and evidence against him. 

The employment supervisor weighs the evidence, 
makes sure that he has not overlooked any of the 
points, that he has accurate and definite knowl- 
edge and not mere guesswork as his guide, that he 
gives to each consideration its due weight, but not 
too much weight, and that he reasons logically and 
soundly to his conclusion. He either sends the 
applicant to some foreman or head of department, 
with a recommendation, or tells him there is noth- 
ing for him and why there is nothing. 



EMPLOYMENT SUPERVISOR 219 

Next comes a gang-boss with one of his workers. 
They do not work peaceably together. The boss 
says he wants to give the man every chance to do 
his work and that he has exhausted his resources in 
attempting to arrive at a basis of mutual under- 
standing and harmony with him. The workman 
says he wants to do his best and that he has tried 
to be efl&cient and loyal, but maintains that the boss 
is suspicious of him and unjust to him. The em- 
ployment supervisor listens to them, one at a time, 
hears both sides without prejudice, and renders his 
decision. 

Next comes a young man with a complaint 
against his immediate superior. The employment 
supervisor refuses to hear a word of it until he has 
summoned the executive, so that the statement can 
be made in his presence. By the time his superior 
arrives the complainant has about decided that he 
has nothing to say. 

The employment supervisor makes it clear that 
he is always ready to listen to and will encourage 
frank statement and discussion of differences, but 
that he will not permit tattling and tale-bearing. 

In any mass of evidence there will be some ap- 
parent contradictions. They are seldom real. By 
careful checking they can almost always be har- 
monized. A reliable judge will do this. The ju- 
dicial mind, with its deliberate, sound judgment. 



220 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

valuable at many other places in the business, is 
perhaps most valuable in an employment supervisor. 

KEEN OBSERVATION 

As has already been pointed out, one of the most 
difficult lessons for the average person to learn with 
reference to human nature is that no one feature 
or indication is sufficient basis for reliable judgment. 
Everything about a man is significant of his char- 
acter. No one thing tells the whole story, and the 
only way to be certain of correct judgment is to 
observe accurately and weigh carefully every indi- 
cation. To do this one must have not only good 
judgment but keen observation. Other things 
being equal, we select for employment supervisors 
those who have the keenest and most accurate 'powers 
of observation. 

Keenness of observation is partly inherent, but 
no matter what the natural endowments of a man, 
they must be painstakingly cultivated. And the 
way to cultivate powers of observation for an em- 
ployment supervisor is by practice, practice, prac- 
tice — always checking up and verifying deductions 
by subsequent behaviour of those selected. 

The six requisites (understanding of human na- 
ture, sympathy, tactfulness, teachableness, a judi- 
cial mind, and keen observation) described in the 
foregoing are inherent, fundamental, and indis- 



EMPLOYMENT SUPERVISOR 221 

pensable in any employment supervisor. They 
depend more upon natural endowment than upon 
education. We have found any man having them 
in goodly degree fairly well equipped for the posi- 
tion. To these qualifications, however, it is wise 
to add others by study and training. One of the 
most important of these is a working knowledge of 
the essential qualities required for each class of work 
in the institution. Employment supervisors work- 
ing under our plan acquire this knowledge by care- 
ful study of duties, efficiencies, operations, and 
other factors, by taking counsel with foremen, 
heads of departments, and other executives, by con- 
sulting with efficiency experts as to the best way of 
doing each task and the requirements for doing it 
in that way. 

WOMEN AS EMPLOYMENT SUPERVISORS 

A careful consideration of these seven qualifica- 
tions will perhaps suggest to the discriminating that 
women are especially fitted for the position of em- 
ployment supervisor, and this we have found to be 
the case. 

In one institution, a young woman who has these 
qualities in an unusual degree, w^th comparatively 
little instruction from us, has organized an employ- 
ment department of which she is the supervisor. 
So resourceful and tactful has she been that she 



222 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

has won the hearty cooperation and support of the 
management, as well as the respect and confidence 
of their store managers, salesmen, heads of depart- 
ments, foremen, and other employees. Another 
young woman, member of the staff of an employ- 
ment supervisor, carried the entire responsibility 
for shop employment in an institution with 2,500 
on the pay-roll. She was treated with the greatest 
respect and deference by even the roughest and 
coarsest labourers. More than any man in the de- 
partment, she was able to gain their confidence. 
In many cases her ready sympathies and quick, 
womanly wit enabled her to adjust difficulties with 
which the men could not cope. In other cases the 
men brought to her personal and family troubles 
that were handicapping them in their work, and 
she was able, by the sound common sense of her 
advice, to suggest practical solutions which were 
often accepted. This young woman was able to 
administer discipline effectively. She could speak 
firmly and reprimand men in a way that would not 
have been tolerated from a foreman or superinten- 
dent, and it did them good. 

Here, then, is a new field for women. Here also 
is a suggestion to employers for careful considera- 
tion when organizing employment departments. 

The numerical strength of the employment 
supervisor's staff depends largely upon circum- 



EMPLOYMENT SUPERVISOR 223 

stances. In organizations employing only a few 
men, the employment supervisor himself does all 
the work, with the aid of a clerk and stenographer. 
He may even occupy some other position. In a 
small bank, the cashier performs the duties of em- 
ployment supervisor. In some retail stores the 
proprietor himself does the work. In a large or- 
ganization employing upward of 5,000 men, the 
employment supervisor has a staff of six. Of these, 
four interview applicants, attend to adjustments 
and transfers, standardize requirements for posi- 
tions, and in general assist the employment super- 
visor in his dealings with employees. One handles 
the correspondence, and one takes care of the files 
and records. 

SELECTION OF EXECUTIVES 

In the actual work of interviewing it is customary 
for the employment supervisor himself to select 
and assign department heads and other important 
executives. In the selection of men for the highest 
positions in the organization he acts in an advis- 
ory capacity to the general manager, president, or 
board of directors, as the case may be. Perhaps 
none of his functions is more important than this 
of selecting executives and higher officials. 

The executive sounds the keynote in his depart- 
ment, so that it becomes a reflection of his person- 



224 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

ality. Competent, efficient executives who think 
and feel constructively, and who inspire construc- 
tive thought and feeling may easily build up any 
business institution. It is a thankless and almost 
fruitless task to select a force of reliable and effi- 
cient workers in the lower ranks when those in offi- 
cial chairs are unreliable and inefficient. Too many 
employment supervisors have wasted their time 
and energy in trying to build up an ideal organiza- 
tion from the bottom. The place to begin is at the 
top. 

Those employment supervisors are most success- 
ful who begin by securing the cooperation of the 
management, help to select executives and depart- 
ment heads who are efficient and trustworthy; 
then cooperate closely with them to build up the 
desired quality in the rank and file. 



CHAPTER XII 

SOME FUNCTIONS OF AN EMPLOYMENT 
DEPARTMENT 

THE functions of an employment department 
vary according to the size, location, char- 
acter, and organization of the institution in 
which it is installed. Some departments exercise 
a very wide range of functions, covering practically 
all relations between employer and employees. 
Others are more restricted in their scope. But 
there are certain functions common to all. These 
we shall discuss in this chapter. 

RECOMMENDS FOR EMPLOYMENT 

It is not the function of the employment depart- 
ment arbitrarily to employ and discharge help. It 
is important to bear in mind that the employment 
supervisor does not give orders to executives and 
their employees; that his function is to secure 
information, classify knowledge, and make recom- 
mendations for action. 

The employment department, having determined 
just what kind of employees are wanted in the or- 

225 



226 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

ganization, makes use of its knowledge and equip- 
ment in securing the very best available people, 
analyzes and classifies these applicants scientifi- 
cally, and recommends them for employment ac- 
cording to their fitness. 

Human beings for the most part are easily led, 
and it is not hard to persuade them to accept com- 
petent assistants. It is exceedingly difficult, how- 
ever, to drive them. The average executive is not 
only willing but glad to have a good man recom- 
mended to him by even a mediocre employment 
supervisor, but he rebels, and rightly, when he has 
men forced upon him, no matter how good they are 
or how expert the employment supervisor. 

REASSIGNS AND READJUSTS 

Rarely is it our privilege to install an employ- 
ment department in a brand-new organization at 
the very inception of its work. That would be the 
ideal way, for then every worker in the organiza- 
tion would be scientifically chosen. In the great 
majority of cases, employment departments are 
installed in organizations where other methods 
have been in use for longer or shorter periods. The 
department, therefore, finds practically all positions 
filled when it begins its work. Some of these posi- 
tions may be filled with competent and efficient 
men; others not. 



AN EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT 227 

It is a function of the employment department 
to make readjustments as rapidly as possible. 
Generally we find that most employees can be 
saved to the organization by transferring those 
who are misfits to places where they fit. As al- 
ready indicated, it has been found best to make 
these transfers and readjustments gradually, and 
as occasion arises. 

In handling human beings, under any conditions, 
the lessons of political, industrial, and commercial 
history teach plainly enough the truth that changes 
must be brought about by a process of evolution, 
rather than by a sweeping revolution, if best re- 
sults are to be obtained at least expense. 

The advantages gained by institutions and in- 
dividuals as the result of this process of readjust- 
ment and transfer are sometimes very great. In 
one institution, for example, we found a super- 
intendent of one of the factories who held his posi- 
tion because he was a brother-in-law of the general 
manager. Very soon after the department began 
its work there, the superintendent came in and re- 
quested an interview. In straightforward sincer- 
ity he confessed that, although his intentions were 
good, he was a failure as superintendent. 

"My men think a lot of me," he said, "and 
would do anything for me. With such backing I 
ought to be making a star record. But I can 't get 



228 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

details into my head. In spite of all I can do, I 
keep on making blunders — some of them pretty- 
bad. I tell you, I am nervous and scared all the 
time for fear one of my mistakes may get somebody 
killed or blow up the shop. I'm in the wrong job 
as superintendent." 

The man was absolutely right. He was splen- 
didly qualified in many ways but had so little ca- 
pacity for details that it would be hard to imagine 
a poorer choice for superintendent of a factory. 
At our suggestion he was transferred to the sales 
department, where he has made a gratifying rec- 
ord. 

On one of our great railroads a young man who 
was marking time and making only mediocre suc- 
cess as stenographer in the trafl&c manager's office 
w^as transferred to the purchasing department. 
There he speedily proved his special aptitude for 
that kind of work. Within a comparatively few 
years, and while still very young, this former stenog- 
rapher became purchasing agent not only for this 
railroad but for all associated lines. His superiors 
and associates tell us that he is without question 
one of the most efficient railway purchasing agents 
in the country. 

In Cleveland, Ohio, we found a young man work- 
ing as a common mechanic upon heavy, coarse 
machinery. He was discontented, unhappy, and 



AN EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT 229 

doing only just enough work to hold his job. In 
fact, his foreman was only waiting for a good op- 
portunity to let him go. Seeing fine mechanical 
and executive ability in the young man, we recom- 
mended his transfer to a department where he could 
work on light machinery, with fine tools, and where 
an element of beauty entered into his work; also 
that he be made understudy to the foreman. The 
change was accordingly made, and as a result the 
young man awoke, became ambitious, threw him- 
self heartily into his work, and astonished his su- 
periors. To-day he is part owner and general 
manager of a prosperous automobile factory. 

In every institution where ordinary methods of 
employment have been used there will be found 
some employees who are either unfit for any class 
of work in that particular institution or, because 
of serious mental, moral, or physical deficiencies, 
utterly unfit for employment in any capacity. It 
is the function of an employment department to 
eliminate such people from the organization as 
rapidly and with as little friction and trouble as 
possible. For those who might be good assets in 
a concern doing some other kind of work it is often 
easy to find openings. A well-conducted and suc- 
cessful employment department soon becomes 
known to other business concerns. Letters and 
telegrams from them are constantly coming in 



230 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

asking for reliable men who perhaps do not fit in 
the organization where the employment department 
is, but who would be valuable in some other line of 
business. 

HANDLES MISFITS 

Building up an ideal organization is slow work. 
Indeed, since every organization must be composed 
of faulty and imperfect human beings, the ideal is 
always just out of reach. It is never possible to 
fill every position with the man who has all the stand- 
ard requirements, or to eliminate from the organi- 
zation all undesirables. Besides, there is no profit in 
discharging an unfit employee only to fill his place 
with one equally or even more unfit. We have 
sometimes retained men in important positions 
long after it had been decided to remove them, while 
we were looking for just the right men to fill their 
places. The need in all such cases is to shift unde- 
sirables to positions where they will be least ob- 
jectionable and to place them under such restric- 
tions and supervision as will leave them with the 
least opportunity for doing harm. 

PROVIDES UNDERSTUDIES 

Human affairs are subject to change. Even the 
best and seemingly the most reliable executive or 
other employee may die or resign or be promoted. 



AN EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT 231 

In such cases employers often find themselves 
greatly embarrassed. The more valuable the em- 
ployee, as a general rule, the more difficult it is to 
find a successor. While the place is vacant, often- 
times the employer suffers serious loss. 

It is the function of an employment department 
to provide against such emergencies. The best 
way to do this, from every point of view, is to see 
that every important employee in the organization 
has a competent understudy. 

There is always less friction in making a change 
when a man is promoted from within the organiza- 
tion. Such a man understands the policies, the 
traditions, the ideals, and the methods of the house. 
He knows and understands his associates, subordi- 
nates, and superiors. If he has been an under- 
study, he understands the duties of the particular 
position to which he is promoted and assumes 
them without delay, without an expensive period 
of "learning the ropes," and without a moment's 
groping takes hold of obscure but important de- 
tails of the position. 

The effect upon the spirit of other employees is 
important. "I wish you would tell me what is 
the matter with my men," one employer said to us. 
"They are well paid. Their hours of labour are 
short. I do my best to treat them kindly and con- 
siderately. And yet they are discontented, un- 



232 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

grateful, and most of the time almost in a state of 
mutiny. What is the trouble? " 

It required only a short investigation to find the 
trouble. On three different occasions within a year 
some important and desirable position had become 
vacant. On each occasion the men expected that 
one of their own number would be promoted. 
Notwithstanding his good intentions, and notwith- 
standing the fact that he had men in his own or- 
ganization who could have filled the positions 
creditably, this short-sighted manager had brought 
in people from the outside. 

In contrast with this is the case of an organiza- 
tion where we did some work. Here we found that 
every man in an important executive or staff posi- 
tion had been promoted from the ranks, and that in 
twenty years only one man had been brought in 
from the outside to fill a position of authority and 
responsibility. 

It used to be a very common thing for employers 
to hire stars away from other organizations by offer- 
ing them fabulous salaries. This practice has fallen 
more and more into disuse as one after another 
of these high-priced acquisitions has proved to be 
a losing investment. While other managers are 
purchasing star players from other teams at from 
five to twenty thousand dollars each, and then 
paying them big salaries, "Connie Mack" (Corne- 



AN EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT 233 

lius McGillicuddy) chooses his players from among 
college boys and amateurs. He doesn 't pay a cent 
for their release, and they are only too glad to start 
in at moderate salaries. But Connie Mack knows 
men. He can see in a young man the aptitudes 
which, with proper training, will make him a world's 
champion pitcher or catcher, and he knows how to 
give that kind of training. 

SECURES DESIRABLE APPLICANTS 

Just as Connie Mack and other successful base- 
ball managers have their scouts scouring the country 
for promising material, so an efficient employment 
department is always alert and aggressively seek- 
ing desirable men, principally within the organiza- 
tion, but in general wherever they are likely to be 
found. These prospective captains, managers, and 
generals are analyzed, their abilities are carefully 
studied, and the analysis, together with other useful 
information, is kept for reference in the files of the 
employment department. The longer such a list 
is and the more carefully it is kept, the more valu- 
able it becomes. 

KEEPS RELIABLE AND ADEQUATE RECORDS 

One of the most important of all the functions 
of an employment department is the keeping of 
records. The spirit of the age is scientific. Con- 



234 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

elusions are based not upon personal opinion, not 
upon hearsay, not upon mere guesses or estimates, 
but upon accurate and reliable exact knowledge. 

What does it cost to operate an employment de- 
partment? Its records show. What is the finan- 
cial benefit to the organization of an employment 
department .f^ The records give the answer. What 
is the value of this lasm? Should he be trans- 
ferred, or promoted, or demoted, or discharged.'^ 
What is his record? What has been his perform- 
ance, his deportment? What is the value of this 
executive's opinion of his men? His opinions are 
recorded and on the same record are shown the 
actual performances of his men. How do they 
agree? How accurately do the employment super- 
visor and members of his staff analyze applicants, 
and how wisely do they select, assign, and transfer 
employees? Here are their analyses in the records, 
and here are the showings of the employees. How 
do they compare? What percentage of employees 
selected by the employment department prove to 
be well fitted for their positions and efficient in 
them? Consult the records. 

The records of the employment department are 
thus a guide for the future work of the department 
and a reliable measure of its efficiency. They afford 
a scientific basis for dealing with each employee. 
They show the trend of the whole organization. 



AN EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT 235 

They are a valuable source of study to the employ- 
ment supervisor and his staff, ripening and perfect- 
ing their understanding and practical application 
of the principles upon which employees are ana- 
lyzed. If desired, the general manager and other 
executives may have on their desks, daily, weekly, 
or monthly, a report showing the number of em- 
ployees hired, promoted, transferred, or increased 
in compensation during the period covered, to- 
gether with such other information as occasion re- 
quires. In this way they may keep fully informed 
regarding the employment situation. 

ADJUSTS DIFFERENCES AND HEARS COMPLAINTS 

Every employee is given to understand that he 
may come freely to the employment department 
and state his grievances, if he has any, and that 
every case of inefficiency, discontent, inharmony, 
and misunderstanding will be decided only upon 
the evidence and always with a desire to be 
just. 

In an institution where an employment depart- 
ment had been installed, a foreman noticed that 
one of his best workers was becoming careless. The 
man, who had always been accurate and reliable, 
committed one blunder after another. Day by 
day these became more frequent and more exasper- 
ating. He remonstrated with the man, at first 



236 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

kindly, then more sharply, but the man did not im- 
prove. Then the foreman warned him two or three 
times, and finally returned him to the employment 
department. The department investigated and 
found that the man's wife had been ill for many 
weeks, and that he had been losing sleep while he 
sat up and nursed her night after night. He was 
reprimanded for not reporting the case to the em- 
ployment department at the beginning. The com- 
pany 's nurse was sent to the home and the man 
given a vacation on full pay to recuperate. In a 
few days the man returned to work with his former 
efficiency. Thus a valuable asset was saved to the 
company and the psychical effect, not only upon 
this one man but his fellow-workers, was worth 
many times the cost. This incident illustrates 
one of the most important functions of an employ- 
ment department — namely, the care of the health 
of employees. 

GIVES MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS — SUPERVISES 
SANITATION 

In every department there is a medical division 
under the direction of a competent physician, who 
gives either all or part of his time according to the 
size of the institution and character of work done. 
It is the duty of this physician, when called upon, 
to examine applicants before they are finally recom- 



AN EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT 237 

mended. The department maintains such emer- 
gency and other hospitals as may be needed ; keeps 
close supervision over the health of all employees 
and over sanitation in the offices, factories, and 
stores of the concern ; and also in the homes of em- 
ployees; supplies competent nurses, who are often 
far more important than physicians, and gives 
instruction to all employees in regard to hygiene 
and sanitation. 

SUPERVISES "welfare WORK" 

Night schools, training classes, apprentice 
schools, musical, literary, and athletic clubs within 
the organization; lunch rooms, rest rooms, enter- 
tainments, dances, games, sports, safety, insur- 
ance, loans, pensions, and all other such features 
of what is known as welfare work or social better- 
ment among employees are most efficiently cared 
for by the employment department. When a de- 
partment is organized under the direction and 
supervision of a properly selected and trained em- 
ployment supervisor, all these activities are left 
to his discretion. 

In short, it is the function of the employment 
department to compile all necessary data and, 
working from these data as a basis, to do every- 
thing possible to build up an ideal organization 
such as we have pictured in Chapter II. 



238 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

SEEKS COOPERATION OF MANAGEMENT 

In all its functions the employment department 
proceeds with the knowledge that it cannot stand 
alone. To be successful it must have the support 
and hearty cooperation of the management and of 
every other department in the organization. Its 
work must be made a definite part of the policy of 
the concern. This, as we have before indicated, is 
sometimes one of the hardest tasks the employment 
department has to perform. 

It often happens that some department head has 
excellent reasons of his own for opposing the use of 
scientific methods. In one case where we were 
installing an employment department, an important 
official refused to cooperate with us, would not 
even see us, blustered and slammed his receiver 
up in our face when we tried to talk to him over 
the telephone. Afterward we met the gentleman 
quite by accident and had an opportunity to look 
him over. It was immediately and abundantly 
clear why he had violently resisted the presence on 
the general manager's staff of any one who was re- 
puted to be able to read character. In the ordi- 
nary course of business, a few weeks later, we were 
requested to report upon a number of executives 
in the organization. This man 's name was on the 
list. We were obliged to advise an immediate in- 
vestigation of his department. The investigation 



AN EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT 239 

followed, and such serious ineflSciencies and ir- 
regularities were found that the organization was 
speedily reheved of this executive. 

It is not always necessary, however, to take such 
drastic action. 

Securing the cooperation of the management of 
any institution is frequently difficult but seldom 
impossible. However, it requires patience, tact, 
courage, good nature, persistence, and, above all, a 
true and genuine desire to render service to the or- 
ganization. In many cases the employment de- 
partment has received the sincere and enthusiastic 
cooperation of the management from the very be- 
ginning. In such cases the work is a pleasure, and 
the results obtained more than justify our most 
sanguine expectations for the application of scien- 
tific methods to employment. 



CHAPTER XIII 

THE ART OF HANDLING MEN 

THERE are two distinct factors in the 
successful handling of men: First, the 
boss, or executive; second, the workers, 
or subordinates. 

SELF-MASTERY 

No man can ever hope successfully to handle 
other men who cannot first master himself. 

Some examples will illustrate : 

There is a type of man who is often found in a 
position where he has charge of others who is him- 
self personally inefiicient. He is careless. He is 
thoughtless. He is hot-headed and emotional. 
He constantly makes errors. He loses and mislays 
things. He procrastinates. And for all these 
inefficiencies he holds himself blameless and shoul- 
ders the responsibility upon his subordinates. No 
one ever knows where to find him or how to please 
him. He is as whimsical as a spoiled child. When 
pleased he is honeyed of speech and extravagant in 
praise. When displeased he is erratic, unjust, and 

240 



THE ART OF HANDLING MEN 241 

vindictive. He makes promises lightly which per- 
haps at the moment he expects to fulfil. But he 
quickly forgets them. This man and every one 
with whom he comes in contact are at the mercy of 
his emotions. His intellect, will, and sense of jus- 
tice are all subordinate to the way he *' feels." 

Another type is the self-centred man who meas- 
ures every one by his own erroneous conception 
of himself. In a position of authority he sets him- 
self up to be adored and worshipped. He is ex- 
tremely jealous of his authority, wants to *'know it 
all, " and resents suggestions from any one, prob- 
ably fearing that to accept them will lower him in 
the estimation of others. This man is usually pre- 
judiced, narrow, and bigoted, and in dealing with 
others assumes a patronizing air. In rendering 
decisions he is apt to show the most unexpected 
pettiness. 

Another, unsuccessful in the highest meaning of 
the term, is the unsympathetic, harsh, exacting, 
unforgiving, relentless man who attempts to rule 
others by fear. Fear, like brute strength, is one of 
the crudest weapons possessed by mankind. Fear 
always engenders hatred. So the man who is feared 
invariably has the hatred and contempt of others. 

None of these types is successful in handling 
men. There are many others, and some of them no 
doubt will be suggested by those we have described. 



242 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

There are certain qualities of character which ap- 
peal to all mankind. The individual who possesses 
them can handle others without difficulty. 

SENSE OF JUSTICE 

At the head of the list we place a keen sense of 
justice. In the broad sense of the term, a sense of 
justice includes honesty, the disposition to give 
the square deal, integrity, truthfulness, and the 
ability to weigh all the evidence before rendering a 
decision. No matter how untruthful and dishonest 
a man may be, he invariably respects one who is 
truthful and just. 

A young man was once heard to remark as he 
was leaving his superior's office, "He is the whit- 
est man I ever knew." "Why?" inquired one of 
his associates. "Did he reinstate you.^^" "Rein- 
state me.f^ No, he fired me. But he talked to me 
like a father." 

DEPEND ABLENESS 

Scarcely less indispensable than a keen sense of 
justice is the quality of dependableness, stead- 
fastness, or constancy. In speaking of his chief, 
a man once said: "He is the most dependable man 
I have ever known. Day after day, no matter 
what the circumstances, he is the same considerate 
and gentlemanly fellow that you see to-day. He 



THE ART OF HANDLING MEN 243 

never makes promises that he does not keep, and 
in all the years I have worked for him I have never 
known him to lose his temper." Perhaps no 
quality in an executive gives greater confidence 
to his subordinates than to know that when he 
appears in the morning he will greet them with a 
pleasant and responsive smile, and that under all 
circumstances they will know exactly what to 
expect from him. 

COURAGE 

Successful dealing with others sometimes re- 
quires great courage. It takes courage to admin- 
ister rebuke even when the offender richly deserves 
it. It takes courage to refrain from being extrav- 
agant in one's praise when some kindly act has 
been directed toward one's self. But perhaps 
courage is required most of all to admit that one is 
wrong. And so, third on our list of desirable 
qualities of character, we place courage. 

SYMPATHY AND LOVE 

Even the most unresponsive and callous indi- 
vidual is mellowed when convinced that you are 
genuinely interested in him and his welfare. The 
quality of human sympathy is indispensable in 
dealing with others. We often criticise others 
harshly and unjustly, largely because we are un- 



244 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

able to put ourselves in their place. One of the 
cardinal principles in salesmanship is to secure 
the name of the customer and remember it so as to 
address him by name when next you meet him. 
This is only one indirect way of showing the qual- 
ity of friendly interest and sympathy. 

Very closely akin to sympathy is the quality of 
love. One almost hesitates to use the term, so 
greatly has it been misused. There is a sloppy 
sentimentality current among some types of busi- 
ness men which is pure affectation. Its use is 
greatly to be deplored. Even an animal knows 
whether or not you are fond of it. We know a 
sociable little kitten who looks over every guest 
that comes into the house, and never once has she 
committed the blunder of making overtures to 
any one who does not like cats. One is naturally 
drawn to those who have in their hearts a sincere 
love of humanity and who express that love, 
not in extravagant and endearing terms, but in 
acts of genuine kindness and affection. 

During a strike on a street railway line, one of 
the officials, who had temporarily taken up his 
residence in a downtown hotel, observed that one 
of his Irish foremen was also stopping at the same 
place, and no matter where the official went it 
seemed that big Mike was always near him. After 
a few days he said to the man: "Mike, I know 



THE ART OF HAJ^DLING MEN 245 

that your salary isn't big enough for you to af- 
ford to Hve at this hotel. What are you doing 
here, anyway?" By means of considerable ques- 
tioning he persuaded Mike to confess : " Well, sir, 
ye see thim Dagos threatened to git ye and I 
thought I'd better be handy." That incident hap- 
pened many years ago, but even to-day this official 
cannot mention Michael Flaherty without a mist in 
his eyes. 

TACTFULNESS 

We have known men to possess all of the desir- 
able qualities we have mentioned and yet fail of 
the greatest success because they lacked the tact- 
fulness necessary to handle a difficult situation. 
There are those who are so dynamic that their 
words are like sledge-hammer blows, and when 
with the best intentions they administer a repri- 
mand they are often surprised to find that they 
have utterly paralyzed the activities of their work- 
ers. It requires both courtesy and tactfulness to 
deal successfully with others. 

TEACHABLENESS 

Our list of desirable human qualities would be 
far from complete if we omitted teachableness. 
There is none so wise but that he may learn from 
others. We have known many executives who 



246 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

were not above the average in ability who scored 
great successes because they were open-minded 
and had the happy faculty of securing suggestions 
of value from their workers. 

UNDERSTANDING OF PEOPLE 

Supplement the foregoing human qualities with 
an understanding of character and you have the 
man who can handle others. An efficiency expert 
made up from time studies a schedule for a given 
workman. He went to his worker and explained 
to him that he had made up a very easy schedule, 
allowing twenty-four minutes in which to com- 
plete each piece. Said he: "Now you can make 
one in twenty -four minutes or you can beat it," 
meaning of course that he could easily make the 
piece in less than the allotted time. The work- 
man received the explanation in silence, and a few 
minutes after the efficiency man had gone he went 
to his foreman and asked for his time. "But why 
are you quitting.?" insisted the foreman. "Well, 
you know that efficiency man. He came around 
a little while ago and said that I could either make 
a pinion every twenty-four minutes or get-to-hell 
out of here." This incident is significant. More 
inharmony and friction between men result from 
misunderstanding than from any other one cause. 

Each individual is in many respects like others. 



THE ART OF HANDLING MEN 247 

and a general policy or a given attitude will, in a 
measure, fit all; but each individual also has his 
peculiarities and in some particulars is different 
from every one else. So the man who expects to 
deal with all men in the same manner cannot hope 
to be more than a partial success. 

There is a type of man who is wholly unable to 
reason logically. He reaches his conclusions by 
intuition and decides every question in the light 
of self-interest. He is found among all grades of 
men, from the lowest to the highest. We have 
seen executives waste hours trying to reason this 
type out of his decision and then grow furiously 
angry when the man failed to respond. Under- 
standing of the man alone will save one the humil- 
iation of expecting from another what he is unable 
to give. We do not grow angry when a deaf man 
fails to hear us. We observe his infirmity and 
take different measures from sound to communi- 
cate with him. When a man lacks the power of 
reason or lacks any other human trait, we should 
observe his deficiency and use measures in dealing 
with him that do not require the exercise of the 
deficient faculty. 

There are many other human traits that are 
admirable and lovable that go to make up the all- 
around, well-developed man, and which contrib- 
ute to success. But the man who possesses in 



248 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

strong degree a keen sense of justice, dependable- 
ness, courage, sympathy, love, tactfulness, cour- 
tesy, teachableness, and an understanding of 
human nature, will be more than an ordinary 
success. 



CHAPTER XIV 

EDUCATING EMPLOYEES 

IT IS characteristic of an age of machinery that 
the average employer of yesterday should re- 
gard his employees largely as fixed values, ca- 
pable perhaps of some increase in efficiency through 
improved methods, but fundamentally unchange- 
able and unchanging until they begin to wear out. 
If the employer of large numbers of men was con- 
scious of the fact that they were capable of growth 
and development, he gave very little evidence of 
this consciousness until recently. 

We have known employers who paid $10,000 a 
year to an expert to train their horses, or $5,000 a 
year to a dog trainer, but not one cent for the train- 
ing and education of the men and women upon 
whose ability and efficiency they depended for 
success in business. We have heard the heads of 
corporations complain bitterly that it was impos- 
sible to find men capable of filling their ten, fifteen, 
and thirty thousand dollar a year positions. Yet 
these same corporations have had thousands of 
men in their employ for more than a quarter of a 

249 



250 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

century, and have left their development into extra- 
ordinary ability wholly to chance. So obsessed 
are some otherwise intelligent employers by the 
machine idea of man that we have seen them resist 
stubbornly a proposition to invest so little a sum 
as $25 each in the education of a picked class of 
their employees, and this when the employees were 
sufficiently interested and ambitious to be willing 
to invest $25 each of their own money in the tui- 
tion. We have seen employers reluctantly con- 
sent to spend a few dollars on the organization of 
a class for study of some special educational fea- 
ture; then turn over the class to the employees 
themselves, giving nothing of their moral support 
and personal attention to the success of the ven- 
ture. This is the type of employer who after- 
ward insists against all argument that it is a waste 
of money to establish classes for employees — he 
has tried it and he knows. 

BUSINESS INSTITUTIONS AS SCHOOLS 

With the rapid growth of industry, with the 
unprecedented increase in the size of our manufac- 
turing and commercial institutions, and in the 
number of men employed, with the excessive empha- 
sis which has been placed upon machinery and 
other equipment, upon methods and system, it is 
not surprising that employers have overlooked the 



EDUCATING EMPLOYEES 251 

fact that in their employees they have unguessed 
resources of mental and psychical wealth-produc- 
ing power waiting only for development. It is 
not surprising that they have until very recently 
failed to grasp the possibilities for development of 
individual capabilities in the relationship between 
employer and employee. Certain great minds have 
perceived this truth in comparatively recent years. 
Educational work done in the institutions they 
dominate has demonstrated that not even in our 
best schools and colleges have we so effective an 
opportunity for education as in our commercial and 
industrial institutions. 

It is the modern idea in education that we learn 
best by doing, that there is greater development of 
better quality achieved through the intelligently 
guided and instructed work of the hands than 
through the study of books or listening to lectures 
alone. This is one principle underlying the Monte- 
sorri Method, manual training, vocational training, 
farm and industrial schools, and other of the newer 
methods of education which have been found suc- 
cessful. 

Many employers not only fail to avail themselves 
of the possibilities of growth in their employees by 
means of special classes, but utterly neglect the 
benefits to be derived from instruction of the 
employee in connection with his own work. For 



252 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

example, in one institution coming under our 
notice, the sixty-five foremen were ordered to install 
and apply the bonus system of compensation to 
employees. When the attempt to enforce this 
order failed it was found that sixty-two out of the 
sixty-five foremen did not know what the bonus 
system was, much less what were its workings and 
results. While it is not always possible or desir- 
able to enlighten employees as to the "inside" rea- 
sons for issuing certain orders and adopting certain 
policies, as a general rule people do far better work 
when they know just what they are doing and why. 
The effect of a very little kindly instruction in this 
respect has often proved remarkable. 

"man or machine — WHICH .^" 

A careless pipe-fitter was returned to the employ- 
ment department by his foreman. He had been 
"called" and warned repeatedly, but still his work 
was unreliable, and now he was sent back to the 
employment department for discharge. The em- 
ployment supervisor talked with the man, asked 
him a few questions, and learned that he had little 
conception of the purpose and importance of the 
work entrusted to him. His foreman was called in 
and both men were given a vivid word picture of 
what happened, perhaps a thousand miles away 
from the factory, when pipe-fitting was defective 



EDUCATING EMPLOYEES 253 

in the company *s product. Not only did the work- 
man go back to his work with an inspiration that 
made him more accurate and careful thereafter, 
but the foreman, with this object lesson before 
him, by the same kind of careful instruction im- 
proved the eflSciency of several others in his depart- 
ment. 

In this same factory, the employment supervisor 
encountered a man who had been working for 
twenty years making one small part, not knowing 
where it fitted into the finished product. It may 
be true, as some critics have observed, that the man 
was lacking in imagination and initiative or he 
would have taken the pains to learn for himself. 
And yet that his employer was even more to blame 
is evidenced by the fact that when the fascinating 
story of that little piece of machinery was told by 
the employment supervisor the old man almost 
wept with emotion, and thereafter what had been 
dull routine work became almost a rehgious rite 
with him. 

Stand a man before a machine ten hours a day, 
simply feeding in material, turning handles, and 
pulling levers. The work requires no thought, no 
particular skill, no originality, no initiative. There 
are certain definite movements for the man 's hands, 
just as there are for the cogs and levers of the ma- 
chine. As he stands there day after day, the man 



254 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

feels that he is but a slave of the machine, that to- 
morrow some inventor may design an attachment 
that will do his work more swiftly and more ac- 
curately than he. The machine will eventually 
wear out and be tossed upon the scrap-heap. The 
man knows that he, too, will eventually wear out 
and be tossed upon the scrap-heap. Is it strange 
that so many feel that they are slaves to the machine 
and grow discontented, embittered, and ready for 
riot or revolution.? But let that man's employer 
educate him to understand the machine and its proc- 
esses, so that he can devote his thought, his orig- 
inality, his initiative to the improvement of that 
machine or to the invention of a new one that will 
displace it altogether, and what a different point 
of view he has. He is no longer slave but master 
of the machine. He rises superior to it, because by 
the exercise of thought he can improve or even re- 
place it. This thought is developed in a masterly 
way by Al Priddy in his book, "Man or Machine 
— Which.?" 

Institutions where employees are thus educated 
and where suggestions from them are made wel- 
come and, when found worthy, are rewarded, have 
profited greatly by reason of improvements sug- 
gested by employees. But they have profited even 
more by the psychical and educational effect of the 
sense of mastery thus produced. 



EDUCATING EMPLOYEES ^55 

We have already mentioned the great and too 
often unused educational and inspirational value 
of the history, policies, traditions, and ideals of 
the organization. An efficient employment depart- 
ment never loses sight of the truth, in every phase 
of its work, that its supreme duty is to secure for 
the institution, not the large bones and muscles 
and weight-lifting strength of men, but their high- 
est and best constructive thought and feeling. 

ADAPTING EDUCATION TO THE INDIVIDUAL 

In educational circles we are hearing more and 
more of the cry that instruction must be adapted 
to the individual. We are learning that it is waste- 
ful and inefficient to put every child through the 
same ironclad routine of school work. The prin- 
ciple is sound, and is nowhere more thoroughly 
understood than in an employment department 
organized upon the basis of the plan we are pre- 
senting. Supplementing education of the general 
character already suggested in this chapter and in 
special night and day classes of various kinds, the 
employment department instructs each employee 
upon two very important phases of his relationship 
to the organization. First, each employee receives 
careful instruction as to the standard requirements 
of his particular position. His duties are definitely 
outlined for him, and the qualifications he must 



256 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

possess and develop for their most efficient per- 
formance are stated. He is given specific instruc- 
tion as to his own mental and physical equipment 
with reference to these qualifications, and how he 
may develop and improve it. In various ways, 
according to his type, he is encouraged and stimu- 
lated to five up to the standard set for him. Sec- 
ond, he is carefully taught what line of promotion 
will best fit his particular case and how best to fit 
himself to grow into more and more responsible 
and better paid service. 

In general, it is the purpose of the department 
to give every man work that will keep him stretch- 
ing upward to do it — a job just a little bigger 
than he is; so that he has before him always an in- 
centive to grow up to his opportunities. Fear of 
punishment must frequently be used, no doubt, to 
drive a man out of the depths, but only hope of 
reward can lead him up to the heights. 

There is no greater natural resource than the 
latent intellectual and psychical force of our people. 
Largely because we have left the development of 
these possibilities to chance or to charity, we strug- 
gle to-day against an incredible inertia of ineffi- 
ciency. Because we have left these fertile fields to 
grow up to weeds or to be cultivated by the igno- 
rant or the designing, we are sometimes frightened 
when we awake to the menace of a harvest of class 



EDUCATING EMPLOYEES 257 

struggle and revolution. Only through wise and 
scientific education and development of our workers 
shall we overcome these threatening tendencies in 
our body politic, and begin to utilize for ourselves 
and for the race the unmeasured latent aptitudes of 
man applied intelligently to the infinite resources 
of the universe. 



CHAPTER XV 

VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE 

THE problem of better methods of employ- 
ment and more harmonious relationship 
between employer and employee is of such 
acute and immediate importance that it takes form 
in the minds of many thoughtful people as an im- 
minent crisis in human affairs. And yet it is only 
a part of a still broader and still more insistent 
problem. A very great deal of the mischief of 
unfitness of man for his job is done before the young 
person presents himself for employment. Parents 
and teachers, groping in the dark, have long been 
training natural born artists to become mechanics, 
natural born business men to become musicians, 
and boys and girls with great aptitudes for agri- 
culture and horticulture to become college pro- 
fessors, lawyers, and doctors. 

The waste of splendid human talent, amounting 
in some cases to positive genius, as a result of the 
obstinacy of parents, the out-of-date traditionalism 
of our schools, and the utter ignorance of both, is 
distressing. In our experience, covering a dozen 

258 



VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE 259 

years of careful investigation and the examination 
of many thousands of individuals, we have seen 
so much of the tragedy of the misfit that it seems 
at times almost universal. The records of one thou- 
sand persons taken at random from our files show 
that 763, or 76.3 per cent., felt that they were in 
the wrong vocations. Of these 414 were thirty-five 
years old or older. Most of these, when ques- 
tioned as to why they had entered upon occupa- 
tions for which they had so little natural aptitude, 
stated that they had either drifted along lines of 
least resistance or had been badly advised by par- 
ents, teachers, or employers. 

HOW TALENT GOES TO WASTE 

We knew a wealthy father, deaf to all pleas from 
his children, who spent thousands of dollars upon 
what he thought was a musical education for his 
daughter, including several years in Europe. The 
young lady could not become a musician. The 
aptitude for music was not in her. But she was 
unusually talented in mathematics and appreci- 
ation of financial values, and could have made a 
marked success had she been permitted to gratify 
her constantly reiterated desire for a commercial 
career. This same father, with the same obsti- 
nacy, insisted that his son go into business. The 
young^ man was so passionately determined to 



260 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

make a career of music that he was a complete 
failure in business and finally embezzled several 
thousand dollars from his employer in the hope of 
making his escape to Europe and securing a musical 
education. Here were two human lives of marked 
talent hopelessly ruined and wasted by a well-in- 
tentioned but ignorant and obstinate parent. 

A few years ago a young man was brought to us 
by his friends for advice. He had been educated 
for the law and then inherited from his father a 
considerable sum of money. Having no taste for 
the law and a repugnance for anything like office 
work, he had never even attempted to begin prac- 
tice. Having nothing definite to do, he was be- 
coming more and more dissipated, and when we 
saw him first had lost confidence in himself and was 
utterly discouraged. "I am useless in the world," 
he told us. "There is nothing I can do." At our 
suggestion, he was finally encouraged to purchase 
land and begin the scientific study and practice of 
horticulture. The last time we saw him he was 
erect, ruddy, hard-muscled, and capable looking. 
Best of all, his old, petulant, dissatisfied expression 
was gone. In its place was the light of worthy 
achievement, success, and happiness. He told us 
there were no finer fruit trees anywhere than his. 
Such incidents as this are not rare — indeed, they 
are commonplace. We could recount them from 



VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE 261 

our records in great number. But every observant 
reader can supply many from his own experience. 

THE VOCATIONAL MOVEMENT 

It is a crime that thousands of young men and 
women should be encouraged, every year, to enroll 
in schools where they will spend time and money 
preparing themselves for professions already over- 
crowded and for which a large majority of them 
have no natural aptitudes. A prominent physician 
tells us that of the forty-eight who were graduated 
from medical school with him, he considers only 
three safe to consult upon medical subjects. In- 
deed, so great is the need and so increasingly serious 
is it becoming, as our industrial and commercial 
life grows more complex and the demand for con- 
servation and efficiency more exacting, that pro- 
gressive men and women in our universities and 
schools and elsewhere have undertaken a study of 
the vocational problem and are earnestly working 
toward a solution of it in vocational bureaus, vo- 
cational schools, and other ways, all together com- 
prising the vocational movement. 

Roger W. Babson, in his book, "The Future of 
the Working Classes: Economic Facts for Em- 
ployers and Wage Earners," says: "The crowning 
work of an economic educational system will be 
vocational guidance. One of the greatest handi- 



262 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

caps to all classes to-day is that 90 per cent, of the 
people have entered their present employment 
blindly and by chance, irrespective of their fitness 
or opportunities. Of course, the law of supply and 
demand is continually correcting these errors; but 
this readjusting causes most of the world's disap- 
pointments and losses. Some day the schools of 
the nation will be organized into a great reporting 
bureau on employment opportunities and trade 
conditions, directing the youths of the nation — 
so far as their qualifications warrant — into lines of 
work which then offer the greatest opportunity. 
Only by such a system will each worker receive the 
greatest income possible for himself, and also the 
greatest benefits possible from the labours of all, 
thus continually increasing production and yet 
avoiding overproduction in any single line." That 
the main features of the system suggested by Mr. 
Babson are being made the basis of the vocational 
movement is one of the most hopeful signs of the 
times. 

FACTORS OF THE VOCATIONAL PROBLEM 

The vocational problem consists: first, of the 
need of accurate vocational analysis ; second, of the 
need of wise vocational counsel; third, of the need 
of adequate vocational training; fourth, of the need 
of correct vocational placement. 



VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE 263 

It is obvious that the vocational problem cannot 
be adequately solved by dealing with pupils or 
clients in groups or classes. It is a definite, spe- 
cific, and individual problem. Group study is inter- 
esting and instructive, but alone does not give 
sufficient knowledge of individual peculiarities and 
aptitudes. It is obvious from the foregoing analy- 
sis of the vocational problem that it is practically 
identical at all points with the problem of scientific 
employment. Just as the highest efficiency of the 
employment department depends upon accurate 
analysis of the job and of the man, so the highest 
usefulness of the vocational bureau or vocational 
expert depends upon complete and exact knowledge 
of the requirements in different lines of endeavour, 
and the ability to analyze human nature accu- 
rately. It is obvious that wise counsel cannot be 
given, adequate training cannot be prescribed, and 
correct placement is impossible until these analyses 
have been properly made. 

The child or adult of unusual ability, with well- 
marked inclinations, and strong in the fundamentals 
of character, is never difficult to analyze, counsel, 
train, or place. If given an opportunity to gain 
knowledge and freedom in the exercise of choice, he 
will almost surely gravitate into his natural line 
of work. He is not the real problem of the voca- 
tional expert. But the vast majority of children 



264 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

are average or even mediocre. They show little 
inclination toward any study or any work. They 
have weaknesses of character that will inevitably 
handicap them no matter what vocation they enter. 
They are the real problem. There is another class, 
almost equally distressing. They are the people 
who are brilliant, who learn easily, and who are 
so adaptable that they can turn their hands to 
almost anything. They are usually so unstable in 
temperament that it is difficult for them to persist 
in any one kind of endeavour long enough to score a 
success. 

METHODS OF ANALYSIS IN USE 

The need, in dealing with these problems, for 
some more reliable guide than the young person's 
inclinations and preferences has deeply impressed 
itself upon those engaged in vocational study and 
vocational work. They are earnestly seeking to 
find or to develop some better way. To this end, 
we have the questionaire, by which it is thought to 
bring out between the lines, as it were, the partic- 
ular aptitudes and disposition of the subject. 
And this method is not without its advantages. 
We have also psychological tests. These are of 
fascinating interest and have yielded some valuable 
results. Some vocational workers use the psycho- 
logical tests and some do not. Even those who are 



VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE 265 

most enthusiastic for them admit that they are com- 
pHcated, that they require expensive apparatus 
and specially trained examiners, and that even the 
best results obtainable cover a very narrow field in 
the character and aptitudes of the subject. 

KIND OF METHOD NEEDED 

The present need is for some uniform, readily 
applicable, inexpensive, and comprehensive method 
of analysis. The advantages of such a method are 
immediately apparent: First, its uniformity would 
permit the making of records for comparison, cover- 
ing a very wide range of subjects, environment, and 
vocations. Second, even the simplest classifica- 
tions which are readily learned and easily applied 
by the inexpert would yield tangible and measur- 
able results and would be far better than the pres- 
ent unstandardized and wholly unscientific meth- 
ods. Third, were such a uniform method adopted 
and made a part of the vocational work of our 
Y. M. C. A.'s, our social settlements, our public 
schools, our colleges and universities, and other 
institutions; were uniform records to be made and 
every subject analyzed, followed up, and his career 
studied, we should within one generation have data 
from which any intelligent, analytical mind could 
formulate a science of human analysis very nearly 
approaching exactitude. Fourth, as the result of 



266 THE JOB, THE MAN, THE BOSS 

the application of such a uniform method, the 
principles of human analysis would rapidly become 
a matter of common knowledge and could be taught 
in our schools just as we to-day teach the principles 
of chemical, botanical, or zoological analysis. 

In the industries the scientific selection, assign- 
ment, and management of men have yielded in- 
creases in efficiency from 100 to 1,000 per cent. 
The majority of people thus dealt with were 
mature, with more or less fixity of character and 
habits. Many of them were handicapped by iron- 
clad limitations and restrictions in their affairs 
and in their environment. What results may be 
possible when these methods, improved and de- 
veloped by a wider use, are applied to children, 
with their plastic minds and wonderful latent pos- 
sibilities, we cannot even venture to forecast. 



THE END. 




THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS 
GARDEN CITY, N. Y. 



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